Training His Destiny
by LoversKagXInu
Summary: An ancient tradition is coming for Inuyasha, he now stares death in the face. Without Kagome by his side, can he handle it? Will she come back to help him before it's too late? Can Inuyasha beat the great swords? Who is Paige, & who is she to Inuyasha?
1. Realizing He Loves Her

**Disclaimer :** I do **not** own Inuyasha, tho. I would kill to have only 10% of the show. Sadly I don't. But, I hear there is suppose to be new episodes and a fifth movie in March, 2009 ! Let's hope !

**Author's Notes** : This is my first story on FanFiction, but it certainly won't be my last. I will have more stories then anyone of this site by the time I am actually a published author, in the near future. This story is different from alot of Inuyasha's stories, so I hope you all like it !

**Training His Destiny**

_In my wildest dreams, I never knew I would be here_

_I never knew I would be fighting for my life; fighting for him_

_I never wanted to fight to end, never wanted to see his eyes close,_

_Never wanted to say a final goodbye to him, without knowing when I would see him again._

_I never wanted him to die._

_-Kagome_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Chapter 1, Realizing He Only Loves Her

Clouds puffing over head, in colors of pink, yellow and orange. The sun beginning to set on the horizon, they did not realize how late it was. The amature Miko yawned with boredom and annoyance, for her Half Demon companion would not listen to her. For the past hour, she was trying to pursade him to stop for the night, but his ego got the best of him. They went on. The Monk did not press the matter, until the little Fox almost fell off his shoulder from being so exhausted.

He quickly snatched him, bringing everyone to a hault. He rolled his eyes. "Inuyasha, " he sighed.

Kagome glanced back at him. "We must stop for the night, and wait till dawn to continue on our way." The Monk started to look around for a safe place to set camp.

Sango, quickly agreeing to Miroku's statement, added "Miroku is right, Inuyasha. It will take a while to set up camp, and the sun in almost gone. There is no point on going on if we don't know where we are heading." She rolled her eyes, petting Kilala.

"Feh."

Kagome turned to see who made the noise. To no surprise, Inuyasha was leaning against a tree, his arms holded while his foot laid against the tree's roots. Kagome looked him up and down, the sun setting behind him. His pure white hair, slowly began to turn to black. Kagome gasped at the transformation.

He sighed. "Huh, you think I want to be walking around like this? Camp where you want, I won't stop you." He moved his gaze elsewhere, to the horizon.

Kagome felt her heart ache, she reached out a hand. "Inuyasha, -" she stopped.

He looked up at her, the look in his eyes. _So loving, so yerning, yet ... so sad, so hurt._ Kagome could think of no other reason for it._ Kikyo._ Kagome's thoughts were interrupted. Miroku laid his hand on her shoulder, Kagome wincing to stare at him.

"Grab the sleeping bags, would you Kagome?" He smiled. Kagome laughed, while nodding. She picked up the sleeping bags from the ground.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha through the side of her eye. His gaze was stuck on her, a sudden chill came over her, the cold air nipped at her skin, she shivered. She dropped the sleeping bags. She grabbed her arms, clutching them for warmth. Within a flash, the red cloth fell over her head and shoulders.

Inuyasha walked infront of her. "Face it, if I'm sick I will be fine by tomorrow. If your sick, you will be useless for a week." He smiled, picking up the sleeping bags from the ground, following the rest of them into the woods.

Kagome stood, watching him walk towards the fire, the image reminded her of him running for her, for Kikyo. Insearch of someone that will never want him. _Even though she hurt you, even though she put you through all of the pain and heartache, you still want her_, Kagome glanced up to see Inuyasha picking at the fire. _You still love her... no matter what she saids or does, you can't help but want her, ... you can't help but love her._ A tear loosened from Kagome's eye, she whipped it clean, telling herself that he isn't worth her tears. She shock it off, throughing a sleeve up. His kimono was a bit baggy on her.

That look he made. He kepted picking at the fire, embers flarred up around the burning wood. Shippo was already fast asleep by Sango who, surprisingly, was leaning against Miroku's shoulder, beginning to fall alseep. Kagome stopped, the cool breeze glided across her cheek. Leaning against a tree, just slightly out of Inuyasha's view. She watched him, his eyes focusing on the flames of the fire. _That tender look, that hurt look_. Kagome's eyes fell shut. _The look for Kikyo. Why love her Inuyasha? She has done nothing but hurt you. Why love someone who doesn't love you back ?_ Kagome fluttered her eyes opened at the sudden snap of a twig, she looked around her, realizing it was Inuyasha braking it for the fire.

Kagome took a deep breathe in, putting a thought in her mind. _What will happen when he is not around ?_ Kagome could feel an ache in her chest. _What will happen when the jewel is completed ?_ Kagome's eyes teared up once more. _Will I be able to stay here with him ? Will he want me here with him, or will he go on with us ? With me ? _Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts. A powerful gust of wind swept through her hair, long black strands played in the wind. Kagome held her arms together. Shutting her eyes from the wind.

A tender whisper shock her. A gentle, formilar voice spoke. "Kagome. "

She blinked her eyes open, looking up at him. His long brown hair blowing in the wind that he made, the moon's little bit of light reflecting off his white teeth. Kagome gave him a big smile. "Koga. What are you doing here?" Kagome questioned.

He shurgged, walking past her. Looking over at Inuyasha with his black hair. "I knew tonight was the night of the new moon." He answered, leaning his back against a tree. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Considering Inuyasha and all." He looked at her, her eyes were set on Inuyasha. Koga gave a shy laugh.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. "What is so funny?" She demanded.

Koga stood up, slowly walking towards her. He smoothly trailed around her. "You love him, Kagome. I can see it in your eyes." Koga sighed.

"Yet, you know he loves another, and you still go after him. You still care about him Kagome." Koga laughed once more. He stopped behind her, his breath warm on her neck. He whispered to her. "Do you think, if he had to choose, that he would pick you over Kikyo ?"

Koga watched Kagome looking quietly at Inuyasha. "Honestly Kagome, do you think he loves you more then Kikyo?"

A small whimper came from Kagome. She turned around, tears falling from her eyes, all red and puffy. Her nose sniffled. She knew the truth, but didn't want to admit to it, didn't want to believe it.

She bit her lip. "No, " she paused, whipping her tears away. "But, maybe he loves me just as much. Maybe."

Koga grabbed her arm, and swung her around. "Look at him. Look at his face, ...look at his eyes, Kagome." Kagome shut her eyes tight, not listening to Koga.

"Look at him." Kogo whispered into her ear. Kagome's eyes flew open to see Inuyasha.

He looked so sad, his face still as stone. His cheek flushed from emotion. His eyes, ... _his eyes, _Kagome gasped. Taking a deep breath in, she turned around to face Koga.

"But, ...maybe -" Koga rolled his eyes at her denial.

"Kagome, maybe he does love you, and maybe he does care for you. But, he will never care for you as much as he cares for Kikyo." Koga lifted her chin up, she looked into his sparkling eyes. "He will never love you, ...as much as he loves Kikyo. He always will put her first." Kagome's head fell.

Koga sighed at her depression, Koga watched her quickly turn around to look at him, he spoke again to her. "As long as Kikyo is in this world, you will never be first in his mind, or in his heart. You will always come second to Kikyo, and they know it more then you do."

Koga noticed Kagome's body lifting up while taking a breath. "Face it Kagome, you are chasing someone, who is already gone and disappeared. You never really had him. You never will " Kagome shook her head.

"That's a lie !" Her voice sounding angry. She turned around to face him.

"Through everything me and Inuyasha have been through, he has always been by my side. He has always protected me. He has always been there for me, and only me. Three years we have been searching together. There years we have been talking and fighting with each other. Three years, I have helped him with the jewel shards." She whipped a tear from her eye.

"Three long years, I have watched him run away from me and go to her. But every single time he has come back to me." She bit her lip. "So, don't you stand there and think he loves her more then me. He isn't with her right now." Kagome breathed in from her mouth.

Koga looked down his nose at her. "But he wants to be. "

Koga trailed off. He brought his face to hers. "Maybesomeday, he will run for her and won't come back to you. Ever. He does love and care about you Kagome, but not as much as you care about him. Trust me, the way he looks at you, the way he talks to you, the way he protects you from everything and anything, he does love you. But you don't get it, he did that for Kikyo, too. Face it, your not his, and you never will be." Koga raised his eyebrow to her.

Kagome gasped for her breath. "You don't know him like I do. He would never leave me for her,"

Koga sighed, and shook his head. "Then maybe, you don't know him either. 'Cause he has left before." Koga moved in, and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

He turned to leave, "Just answer yourself one question Kagome."

Kagome rolled her eyes at him, "What is it Koga?"

He looked back at her. "Will he love you, when he is not around?" And before Kagome could comment, he was gone in a wind. _Will he love you, when he is not around? _Kagome repeated.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"There you are. What the hell were you doing?"

Inuyasha questioned, as Kagome walked over to the fire. Inuyasha picked at the embers, while Kagome sat down on the opposite side of him. She moved her arms around her, pulling the kimono off of her body.

She then passed it to him, "I just went for a small walk is all. I had a few things to think about."

Inuyasha took the kimono, and laid it beside him. "You shouldn't be going off by yourself at night. Especially when I can't protect you." Inuyasha starred into the fire.

_What are you waiting for you idiot, ask him ! Ask him everything you want to know_, Kagome took a deep breath, thinking about how she would ask him. She watched the flames flicker up into the sky, the bright new moon was slowly disappearing above them, Kagome quessed it was alost dawn by now, maybe later. She sighed.

Inuyasha looked over her in detail. "What's going on with you?" He asked, sitting a different way. His feet by the fire, leaning back against a rolled up sleeping bag.

Kagome took a huge gulp, looking into the fire. "Inuyasha, -" She paused, how could she ask him?

"I am just going to come right out and say it. "

Bitting her lip, trying to stop herself from asking. "Would you ever pick Kikyo over me?" Kagome shut her eyes. After a moment of complete ackward silence, her eyes flickered opened to see him.

He was looking straight at her, his arms folded. "What are you rambling on about this time, Kagome?" He folded his arms.

Kagome could feel the words coming up, but she couldn't stop them. "Everytime Kikyo needs you, and everytime you want to see her, and everytime you go to her side, you run back to me. "

Kagome shut her eyes, "I keep thinking that one of these days you are going to run after her, but you won't run back to me. You will pick her over me. " Kagome gasped. " I feel, like whatever I do, or whatever I say," she paused. " it just doesn't matter to you. I am always going to be second to Kikyo, I am never going to be first to you."

Kagome looked over at him, he kept looking at her with his mouth opened a bit in shock. "I don't know how you feel about me Inuyasha. Maybe you love me, and maybe you care about me, too. But, you will never care about me like you care about Kikyo."

She looked in to his eyes. "You will never love me, as much as you love Kikyo. You will always put her first. And, as long as she is in this world, I will never be first in your mind, or in your heart. Kikyo has always ruled over me. And she always will." Kagome stood up, looking down at him.

Inuyasha stood up, the sun flickering over the hills. Inuyasha's claws got longer. The night of the new moon was almost over. He looked into her eyes, "Kagome, -"

She cut him off. "I'm not asking you to love me Inuyasha, and I'm not asking you to forget about Kikyo."

She sighed in sadness. "All I am asking is, do you care and love me, the way you care and love Kikyo?"

The sun shone in to the corner of her eye. Kagome saw his fangs coming into view, his long black hair slowly turning back to silver. She shook her head, "Do what you want Inuyasha. Be with her, become a full-demon. It doesn't matter to me anymore." She stopped. "I don't matter to you anymore." Kagome pushed through him and grabbed her bag.

Inuyasha stopped her, his hair now fully silver. "Kagome come on, you know I can't pick." He grabbed her arm, and looked into her eyes, "I can't choose between you guys. Could you choose between me and Koga?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her.

Kagome forced her arm free from his grasp, "No I couldn't, " She shook her head. "But I wouldn't love both of you. Incase you haven't noticed, Inuyasha, I already choosen between you two." Kagome walked pasted him.

She stopped in her tracks turning back to him, "I am still here in the Feudal Era with you, aren't I?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms, "So, what? Your going home?" His voice getting harsh.

Kagome smiled, "Yeah. And maybe, when I'm there, I might decide not to come back. But I'll let you know."

She rolled her eyes as she stomped away. Walking to the path, she slowly started walking away, dragging her backpack in her hands.

"You can't just leave, we are in the middle of searching for Naraku!" Inuyasha ran behind her.

Kagome turned around, he eyes blazing at him. "You can kill him yourself. Your the one who wants the jewel, your the one who wants to be a _full demon_. Kill him yourself and leave me out of it!" Kagome rolled her eyes.

Inuyasha sighed, rolling his eyes. He looked at the ground. "Kagome," He stared up at her. "We need you here, I need you here. Don't leave now. I can't destory Naraku by myself, you know that I need you to win. I will die during battle, I need you there fighting with me."

Kagome held back her tears. She stepped closer to Inuyasha, bringing her head up to his. Only centimetres away from his lips, she whispered. "I can't fight your battles Inuyasha, I have my own. I can't do this anymore, not like this." Inuyasha left her warm breath going in and out of his nose.

Kagome looked up into his hazel eyes, "I am done fighting Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked down at her, "Fight one more time, for me. Don't leave now, Kagome. Not when I need you the most."

Inuyasha's arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to him. Kagome looked at him, they were closer then before. Kagome's eyes slowly closed, she could feel something pressing against her lips, she opened her eyes to see Inuyasha, kissing her. She closed her eyes, and didn't move. Inuyasha broke away, looking at her.

Kagome stared at him, "You don't need me Inuyasha, you never did. Let me go Inuyasha, let me leave."

Inuyasha brought his head up to her ear, "You know I need you." There was a slight pause, then another whisper. "You know I love you."

Kagome stopped him by pushing herself away from him, picking up her backpack while turning to walk away. Step after step she walked, each was harder to take then the one before.

Kagome could hear Inuyasha hollaring at her. "Kagome. I will come get you anyways. Your wasting her time leaving."

Then he stopped for a moment. "Fine, leave then. Don't come back! I don't need you, I HAVE KIKYO!"

Kagome stopped for a second, turned around and looked at the ant version of Inuyasha in the distance. She looked at the ground, while whispering. "Inuyasha, sit boy." She saw Inuyasha falling down the small hill and landing on his face, Kagome giggled a bit, _I will miss him the most_, she thought as she spun around, walking down the path.

There were little noises, Shippo opened his eyes to see what the noise was from. In the process, he shook Sango awake, who slapped Miroku when she saw where his hands were. Sango through the bucket at him, Miroku got hit in the head, and flew backwards, rolling into the freezing cold water.

Shippo jumped over to Inuyasha, looking at his expression he just skipped the questions. "Dumb Inuyasha, why do you always do these things to Kagome? Your such an idiot!"

Sango came over to see what was going on. Shippo looked at the huge hole Inuyasha was now in. Looking up at Sango, he smiled and then questioned. "Sango, is this the Grand Canyon?"

Sango laughed at him, patting him on the head, "No Shippo, but it is pretty close."


	2. An Interesting Sign

**Author's Note :** Thanks for everyone's reviews && for reading. This chapter is much longer then the first one soo, I hope you like it too.

Training His Destiny

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Chapter 2, An Interesting Sign

The walk to the well was long and full of annoying whispers running all through her head. The trees swayed back and forth to the rythem of the blowing wind, the birds in the sky flew higher with every gust. The sun was high in the blue sky, covered by huge, puffy white clouds. Kagome's hair swinging back and forth in the breeze, her eyes dead setted to the ground, as the path rolled into Kaede's village.

Kagome sighed, seeing the villagers outside, as they turned to see her, they couldn't understand why she wasn't with Inuyasha. Kagome starred infront of her as she kept a hard look on her face, walking past each person.

She managed to get past Kaede's hut without Kaede noticing. While Kagome was about to enter the forest, she heard a crisp voice hollaring her name, "Kagome, what are ye doing here?" Kagome spoke too soon, she turned around to face Kaede walking to her. Kagome's body suddenly stiffened as Kaede came closer.

Kagome nodded to her, while smiling. "Hello Kaede, how are you?" Kagome forced the smile on her face, holding back the anger.

Kaede raised a questionable eyebrow to Kagome, looking her up and down. "I am good, Kagome. Why do ye have thy backpack? Are ye leaving once more?" Kaede stared into her eyes to find the truth.

Kagome sighed, looking at her feet. "Yes, I am leaving Kaede. I just got to get away from everything that is going on, and just relax. There is too much going on, and I can't take it anymore. With the betraying, the fighting, the lying ... I am finally done." Kagome shook her head, admitting defeat. "I am tired of trying to make things work, that can't and trying to do something that I can't." She added.

Kaede grabbed Kagome's chin, raising it to the sky to make her look at her. "That is not the reason ye are leaving now, is it?" Kaede let her chin go. Kagome's head fell a bit, but Kagome made herself look at Kaede, and listen.

"Ye have been through many adventures Kagome. Many of them have left ye miserable and hurt, and many have given ye love and protection. There is only one person, for what ever happens to ye good or bad, that person is always the root cause of it. Am I not right?" Kaede smiled at her, seeing Kagome's eyes sadden. Her big, exploding brown eyes, now small and quivering.

Kagome nodded her head slowly. "Kaede, I am not right for this place. I am not right to help you guys collect the jewel shards, I am not right to be fighting in a time I barely know about, I am not right to be here instead of in school. I am not right, for him." Kagome adjusted her backpack, the strap was digging into her shoulder.

Kaede shook her head, "Kagome, ye have more to offer this place, then ye know. I know how much ye care for them, and even more for Inuyasha. How are ye not right for him? Ye love him, ye protect him, and ye comfort him. So, how are ye not right to be here with him?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, bitting her lip while looking to the ground. "I am not right to be his 'Kikyo'. He loves Kikyo, Kaede. More then he loves me. Yes, he does love me, and yes he does care for me, but ...can't you see? He will never care for me as much as he cares for Kikyo. He will _never _love me as much as he loves Kikyo. That is just fact, and I understand that. So, I will let them be together, once and for all. The only way I know how to do that, and that is for me to leave. I will come back Kaede, I promise. Just, not right away. I wanna let things cool down a bit." Kagome sighed in relief for telling her.

Kaede, wide eyed, stared at Kagome. "So, this it the path ye have choosen?" Kagome nodded to her question. "Then, I hope ye are not making a mistake. Ye have been through alot of journeys, and alot of them have left ye confused and disappointed. Ye have made a few wrong turns here, Kagome."

Kagome shook her head, "Not a few wrong turns. I just made a few wrong moves, but my next one is set for home. Bye Kaede." Kagome reached down, giving Kaede a hug goodbye. She strode off into the woods, Kaede leaving to go back into the village.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"ARE YOU INSANE!?"

Inuyasha rubbed his head, the bump grew bigger with each pacing second. He was having second thoughts about telling Sango what had happened. Sango rolled the boulder beside a tree.

Turning back towards them, her eyes fired up with anger. "What kind of idiot tells Kagome not to come back ? Are you seriously brain-dead, or did you get sat to many times?" Sango stomped back and forth between two trees, ready to pull her hair out.

Miroku was leaning against a log, sipping some tea.

Shippo was swimming a few feet away from them.

Sango told him to go and play, while Miroku and her talked to Inuyasha. "You tell her that we need her here to help with Naraku, and then you tell her not to come back! Where is your brain at, Inuyasha? Sometimes I just think you men sit on them instead of using them." Sango finally sat down on a log, tired of pasing back and forth.

"At least it is comfy." Miroku commented.

Sango gave him an angry glare. Miroku set his tea aside, he sat up straight. "Inuyasha, sometimes I wonder if you really do care about anyone or anything else besides yourself. And, then you go and do something like this, and you just prove my thoughts. I don't understand how you can love her one moment, and then be telling her to leave the next."

Miroku glanced over at Shippo, he was chasing a small squrrial around a tree. Miroku sighed, "Sometimes I wonder what is the point in all of this." Miroku watched Inuyasha hold his head in pain. "Then again, it is very entertaining."

Sango giggled under her breath.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "I don't think it is so damn funny. I wanted her to stay, but she didn't."

Miroku nodded. Sango just sighed, as she grabbed a rice ball, and sat back down. Miroku handed her the rest of his tea, she blushed while taking it from him. Miroku watched her for a moment, then turning back to Inuyasha, he asked. "What about the Kikyo part, I don't understand it."

Inuyasha shrugged, crossing his arms he slid down onto the ground. Watching the new fire grow bigger, he could see something in it. Someone. He looked closer, it was two girls talking, no fighting. He squinted his eyes, he realized who it was. It was Kikyo and Kagome, fighting. He reached out a hand to touch them, but winced back. He looked at his right hand, it was bleeding from the fire.

Sango narrowed her eyes at him, "Wow, you men are idiots and clue-less too. Who would imagine?" Sango shook her head.

Miroku laughed a bit, but stopped to ask Inuyasha. "What did you do that for, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha shook his head, he really didn't know why he said those things to her, but he did. "I don't know, being stupid again, I guess. What does it matter anyways? She is gone, again, and I am stuck here. I will go and talk to her later on tonight anyways."

Inuyasha watched Miroku shake is head, then sigh. Sango rolled her eyes while crossing her arms, tilting her head slightly to glance at Shippo dunking into the water.

Inuyasha felt a sudden surge of pain, jolting up his arm. Inuyasha looked at his hand, the blood beginning to dry in the shape of a thin sword, the color started to turn to a dark red, and then black. He touched it, the feeling was hard as stone. Miroku looked at Sango, he raised as eyebrow and then asked. "Inuyasha, what is it?"

Inuyasha shook his head, "I don't know." He opened his hand to them, they gasped.

Sango through her hand over her mouth, gasping for air. She was shaking all over. Tears fell down her cheeks, she stood up and walked over by Shippo.

Inuyasha went wide-eyed. "What is wrong with Sango?" Inuyasha asked, seeing Miroku's eyes turn sick. "Miroku?"

Miroku shook his head, he looked at Inuyasha's hand. "This c-can't be." Miroku stuttered, he was shaking all over too.

"Are you okay? What do you mean ' this can't be'?" Inuyasha was getting nervous, he looked at his hand then looked back at Miroku.

"You do not know what this is, do you Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha shook his head, "Isn't it just a scab ?"

Miroku bit his lip, he took the cup of tea by the fire and drank it. He then looked at Inuyasha, "Hold out your hand." Inuyasha cocked a brow, then laid out his hand to him.

Miroku took a knife out. "Wow, wait. What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha yelled, pulling his hand back.

Miroku rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine, if you keep your hand still." Inuyasha put his hand back infront of Miroku.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Kagome tripped over an uprooted piece of the tree's root. She cursed it, and then she cursed at the woods, and then she cursed everything else. She rolled her eyes, as she sighed. _I can't believe him, telling me to go home. Why doesn't he just give up on her, she doesn't love him like I do, why pick her over me ? _Kagome stomped on the ground. Her backpack wobbling every which way. She was thinking only about Inuyasha, and the things he said. Then, she was thinking about the things Koga said, wondering who was right. Her thoughts were running through her head, until she fell to the ground.

She held her head in pain. "Ouch!" Her head throbbed and ached. Looking up, the Sacred Tree was infront of her, she realized she walked into it.

She got up, looking at it. Dropping her backpack, her eyes glanced at the bare space on the tree, where she released Inuyasha from the spell. Kikyo's spell. Kagome's eyes grew heavier.

_The Sacred Tree_. She frowned. _This is where I first met Inuyasha_. She sighed. _And it's where Kikyo and Inuyasha parted_.

Memories of those two together came flooding back to her, the secret incounters, the talks. Kagome looked at the ground.

_They were so close, they understood each other._ In her mind, Kagome could see Kikyo and Inuyasha kissing. _And Kikyo still loves Inuyasha._

She sighed, looking back at the tree. The small indent in the tree shined, she laughed, remembering the time she pricked her finger on it.

Kagome then realized, through all of the memory's running through her head. _The only reason I am here in the Feudal Era, is to gather the shards of the Sacred Jewel, and restore it to it's original form_. Kagome sighed. _It doesn't really have to be me though, Kikyo could find the shards_.

Kagome looked at her hand. In it, three shards of the jewel shined in the palm of her hand. _The real reason I come here is -._Thinking about Inuyasha, she trailed off. She picked up her backpack, wiping the dirt off of it. Throughing it onto her back, she slowly wandered away.

She stopped when she finally came to the well. She looked down into the black beyond. The dark, empty space that held her own world.

Her thoughts came back again, _what if I did stay here with Inuyasha? It wouldn't be that bad, maybe I should just talk to him, _Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

A dark, mysterious man's voice. "Go home**.**" She looked around, but no one was there.

She heard it again, it said the same thing over and over again. She realized, it wasn't outside, it was inside. Inside her mind. Deep inside her mind. The voice was coming from inside her mind, but why and how? Kagome shook it off.

The voice came creeping back. "Go home." It sounded angry, and more cold.

Kagome bit her lip. "No!" She screamed. Tightly closing her eyes.

The voice spoke to her. "Kagome, I know what it feels like. To be unloved by the one who you care about the most. To be second rate instead of being first. I know how to relieve you of all that pain and sorrow, just jump. Jump into the well, seal it up in your world, and never return."

Kagome gasped at the demands, she turned back. "What about ...Inuyasha?"

The voice began to laugh at her. "He does not want you here. You are better off in your own time, away from him and away from this era. You do not belong here, you never did. Leave now, forget about all of this. All of your journeys, all of your pain, all of your regrets, and all of your time here. Forget him, Kagome."

Tears flooded from her eyes, she shook her head. "I can't," she whispered. She bit her lip, her voice sounding angry.

She leaned over the edge of the well, looking down into the black hole. She shook her head, wondering to go or not. She could feel a force, pushing her into the well, pushing her on to leave. She thought of what the voice said, thought that it was probably just her imagination, but she thought that he was right.

Everything he said, everything he told her was right. She believed every single word he said to her, but a small part of her thought that she could stay. She shrugged the feeling off, pushing off of the edge. Jumping down, deeper and deeper, she slowly disappeared into the darkness.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Miroku opened the knife. He held Inuyasha's hand with his own, and steadied the knife with his other hand. Inuyasha breathed in, and then breathed out deeply. Miroku brought the knife closer, Inuyasha's arm tightening.

Miroku pricked the small sword on Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha could feel a burning sinsation crawling up his arm. Blood oozed out of the small sword. Inuyasha pulled his hand back from Miroku.

Throughing it behind his back, "It's fine, see it's just a scab. I heal fast remember."

Miroku nodded, "Really? So the whole thing should be gone by now, right?" Inuyasha nodded. Miroku nodded, while grabbing his arm and bringing is hand infront of him.

The sword was still there, only this time, it was covering more of his hand. Miroku sighed, "I knew it."

Inuyasha moved his gaze from his hand to Miroku, "Knew what?"

Inuyasha didn't know what he was talking about. Miroku shook his head, "I knew that it would do that. Inuyasha, this isn't good. Not at all." Miroku sighed, crossing his arms while leaning against the log.

Inuyasha stared at his hand. "Well, then what the hell is it?" Inuyasha poked at it.

Miroku rolled his eyes at him, "Have you ever heard the story of the Mountain Man?"

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow, "Mountain Man? I never heard of that story. Tell me."

Miroku sighed looking into the fire, he began. "Fine. Long ago, high in the mountain tops, there lived a man named Jikar -" Miroku started to tell the tale, when he felt a small prick on his cheek.

Slapping a hand on his cheek, he watched as the small flee floated from his cheek into his hand. The squished flee jumped up from the flattened world, popping his colar on his tiny flee shirt.

He looked up at Miroku with his eyes bolgging out of his sockets. "What did you do that for?" The color from the flee's cheeks were flushed away, he stood there in the palm of Miroku's hand.

"I'm sorry Myouga. Flee bites, fly bites. They all feel the same after awhile." Miroku argued back, giving Myouga a small, cheerful grin. Myouga's little chicklet eyes rolled around to the back of his head, and back again.

He sat down in the palm of Miroku's hand, looking over at Inuyasha. He was wrapping a piece of cloth around his hand.

"Master Inuyasha," Myouga whispered, his head shaking back and forth. "You have the sign of Jikar. The shape of the sword on your hand, the darkened figure in the palm of your hand, growing more painful with each pacing second. Am I correct?" Myouga crossed his legs, and arms. Closing his eyes while lowering his head to them.

Inuyasha held his hand for a moment, wincing from the sudden word _pain_.

Miroku smiled, looking over his shoulder at Sango. She was floating in the darkened water. Shippo, waterlogged, was hanging onto a branch. Miroku saw the moon reflecting off of the water, the day was gone already.

Miroku shook his head, "The day is behind us, and tomorrow is ahead of us. But right now, this is something we have to resolve. Myouga, you are here because of Inuyasha. Correct?" Miroku grabbed a small bag from the side of the log, opening the sealed package.

There were letters written across the stomach of the bag, it read 'Doritios'. Miroku shrugged his shoulders, sticking his hand into the bag, and pulling out a chip. Popping it into his mouth.

Inuyasha sighed, he through his head back. The stars twinkled in the night sky, he remembered watching them with Kagome, and wondered what she was doing at that very moment.

He was taken from his thoughts when Myouga whispered, "Yes, I am here because I knew Master Inuyasha's Time of Jikar would be starting soon, and I had to be here when it did." Myouga yawned, rubbing one of his eyes.

Inuyasha gave him a hard stare. "You couldn't give me a heads up before?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "Time of Jikar? What the hell is that?"

Myouga pulled his head over to Miroku. "You have not told him about it?"

Miroku shrugged at him. "I thought the gaurdian was suppose to tell. Sorry." Miroku gave a slight grin.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, sighing at them. "Can one of you idiots just tell me why I got this freaky looking sword on my hand?" Inuyasha glancing between both of them, the fire rising into the sky, the flames twinkled away. Inuyasha heard the crackle of the branches under the heat of the fire.

Sango and Shippo were walking over, all dressed in warm clothes. Shippo jumped over by Inuyasha, "What's going on, Inuyasha? Why is Myouga here?"

Instead of hitting him over the head, Inuyasha gave him a simple shrug, and a quick smile. "Just go to sleep Shippo. I will tell you all about it tomorrow. You can sleep over by the trees with Kilala and Sango, okay?"

Shippo didn't hesitate, he was under the covers and beginning to snore within minutes. Sango smiled, shaking her head while her eyes rolled back into her head.

Sango walked by Miroku, putting Shippo's and her clothes in a pile on the grass. She turned around, thinking her would be violated by Miroku, but he didn't even twitch.

Sango spun around to walk past them again, she leaned down to him. Whispering into his ear. "Good night." She slipped him a quick kiss on the cheek, as she walked over the log and stood by the tree where Shippo was, "Good night Miroku. Good night Myouga."

There came a pause, Inuyasha saw her looking at him, but Inuyasha looked away. He knew what she was going to say next. She took a deep breath in, "Inuyasha?"

His eyes darted at her, with a fierce look. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Inuyasha saw the fire sparkle in her eyes, he slowly nodded. "Sure."

Myouga blinked hard, staring at him. "Master Inuyasha, you musn't go right yet. We have to talk to about your Time of Jikar." Inuyasha turned around to face them, right before Sango gasped from Myouga's statement.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "I am only going to talk to her for a minute, talk to each other until I get back or something." Inuyasha spun around to Sango, smiled at her for a moment and then walked away with her. Myouga and Miroku's voices getting lower and lower, until they were only whispers in the trees.

Inuyasha sat on a log, with a tree right behind him. Leaning on it, he watched Sango walk towards the water, looking into the deep parts of it. The moon high in the sky.

Inuyasha saw the look in her eyes, the pain in them shone through. "Inuyasha, do you even know what is about to happen, what that is on your hand?" Her voice quivering and scared.

He sighed to her, his head hung low. "Sango, if I knew I wouldn't be asking a million and one questions. All I want to know is what this _sign _is, and what it means. I just want to know what is going to happen, that's all."

Inuyasha sprung his head up, Sango's head hung low like his just was. He smiled, "You know what it is. I saw your reaction before when it happened. You know the story of Jikar, you know what this means. Don't you?" He stood, reaching his left hand out to her. He slowly placed it onto her shoulder. She spun around.

Tears flooding down her eyes, her nose sniffling. Inuyasha could sense the fear in her.

She bit her lip. "I know everything about this sign, Inuyasha. It's not a good one, though. It is nothing to look forward to. Most men lose themselves, lose their love, lose everything. Even their life in some cases." Sango's eye loosened a tear, it slid down her cheek, running off her chin.

"I don't want that to happen. I don't want that to happen to you, Inuyasha. If Kagome finds out, she will go insane."

Inuyasha shook his head, "I am going to have to tell her anyways. Don't worry Sango," He grabbed the back of her head, pulling her close. "Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise that to you, and I am going to promise that to Kagome, if she talks to me again." Sango rolled her eyes, getting out of Inuyasha's hold.

Sango walked a few steps, then turned back around. "You still are that blind, aren't you." Sango gave him a depressed look.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her, "What do you mean I am still blind?"

Sango laughed, looking at the ground then glancing back up at him. The moon reflecting off of her black hair.

She gave a small smile, "She loves you Inuyasha, you might love Kikyo, but she will always love you. Not Koga, not Hojo, not anyone else. She only loves you, why can't you admit that you love her too. Why is it so hard to love her back? What is holding you back from loving her?" Sango saw his eyes shrink in size and in life.

"Kikyo?" Sango asked.

Inuyasha's head sprung up. She laughed at him. "That's why you are hurting Kagome, because of Kikyo?"

Inuyasha shook her head, his eyes fiery with anger. "I am not hurting Kagome at all."

Sango rolled her eyes, "Your not hurting her, are you serious ? You call picking Kikyo over her, you call always running to Kikyo's side, you call always putting Kikyo first on your mind, you call not loving her because of Kikyo doesn't hurt her?" She paused.

"No Inuyasha, you are not hurting her, you are _killing_ her. It kills her to know you love Kikyo, more then you love her. It kills her to know that if both of them were hurt, that you would run to Kikyo's side first, instead of her. It kills her to know that she will never come first to you, that she will never surepass Kikyo."

She shook her head. "It kills her, to know that the only reason that keeps her from having you, the only reason that keeps her from being loved by you, ...is Kikyo." Sango stopped.

Inuyasha bit his lip. His ear twitched.

Sango didn't wait for him to reply, she continued. "Face it Inuyasha, Kikyo doesn't love you. You are chasing her for nothing. She isn't even real, she isn't living, she is a doll and nothing more. If you keep chasing her, somewhere down the line she is either going to hurt you, or die without you. You are going to realize that Kagome is worth more then Kikyo, and when you want to be with her it's going to be too late, because she will be tired of waiting around for someone who doesn't care about her enough to stay by her side, enough to always put her first, enough to love her, enough to be with her."

Sango took a breath of air. "Enough to choose a side!"

Inuyasha looked up at her, his eyes hard as stone. "I love her, Sango. I love her more then life itself. I love her enough to stay by her side, I love her enough to put her first. I love her enough to be with her."

Inuyasha made a small grin. Remembering the exact words Kagome had told him, "Incase you haven't noticed, I have choosen between the two of them."

Sango narrowed her eyes at him, looking him up and down, "Really? You have?" I

nuyasha gave her a slight nod. "I am here by Kagome's side, I am here with her. Not with Kikyo. I am still fighting with her, for her."

Sango sighed. "Well, you have already lost the most important fight of all."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Sango's lips pulled into a line. "For her heart," she sighed. "I don't care about what you think about this whole thing Inuyasha, but what I do care about is the fact that you are hurting my best friend. So, go and tell Kagome and then go through the Time of Jikar. Learn all about it, train until your bones brake, until your back gives out and you cough up blood. You will get what you deserve sooner or later. "

Sango walked away from him, leaving him with his thoughts, and her biting words bouncing through his head. He could hear Miroku asking what took so long, then Myouga asking where he was.

He would hear the piercing voice of Sango, while she told them he couldn't make up his mind of what he wanted. He laughed when he heard her through a stick into the water, and then again when she cursed him while she got into her sleeping bag. Inuyasha waited a moment, and when it was silent, he sighed in relief.

He saw the moon slowly move behind the dark clouds. He shook his head in sadness, _Kagome.. if you only knew how I felt, if you only knew what was going on_. He glanced at the moon, before walking back to Miroku and Myouga. He didn't answer any of their questions. He jumped up into his tree, getting comfortable.

He shouted down to them, "Let's talk about it in the morning. I think I can afford one day not knowing about this."

Myouga and Miroku were confused, but soon were fast asleep like Shippo and Kilala.

Sango stayed awake, listening to what Inuyasha was doing. She could hear him cursing himself, then cursing the jewel, and then cursing the world. She smiled in amusement to his actions. She heard him jump down from the tree, unzippering a bag that Kagome left behind, then jumping back up into the tree.

Sango thought about what he took. Inuyasha looked at it, it sparkled in the moonlight. The different colors blended into one and other. He read the word, written in lime green on the front of the book, to himself.

The word bounced back and forth in his head, _Diary._ He thought about it, as he opened it, and started on the first page.


	3. An Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 3, An Unexpected Visitor

_I must have walked up these stairs a million times!_

Kagome thought, as she paced back and forth while thinking about everything that she had heard in the last few hours. She finally sat down, looking left out of the corner of her eye, she saw her backpack leaning against the door. She looked down the stairs at the well, she had already closed the top of the well, but now she was thinking twice about sealing it.

_If I seal it, that means Inuyasha can not come here. That means I am finally over him. That means_ ... Kagome stared at the well, the moon glowing on the top of it, it shone through the little crack near the door.

She sighed, _That means I won't see him ever again_. Kagome crossed her arms, not wanting to decide. _I guess I can just sleep on it, .. nothing probably happened since I left anyways_.

Kagome stood up, whipping the dirt off of her then picking up her backpack, she through it over her shoulder and turned around to face the door. She closed her eyes, grabbing the door handles and pulling the door wide open and stepping outside. She felt a big gust of cold wind hitting her. She slammed the doors shut, nodding in triumph.

"Maybe tomorrow I can decided on whether or not to seal it. For now, I just wanna go inside, get a nice hot bath, slip into my warm pajamas, and go to bed and drift away from these boggling thoughts in my mind." She skipped down the staircase that lead to the shrine. She turned back to look at it once more.

She smiled, the smile then twisted into a sad and painful frown. She couldn't believe that she was in this spot once again. Once again she had left him and gone home, once again she had given up and left behind everything, once again he made her leave. She knew Inuyasha could come for her, either tomorrow or soon.

The only thing that was on her mind was, _will I wanna go back with him?_ She rolled her eyes, then snapped out of her thoughts by the wind blowing in the trees, and a squirral or a bird braking a branch. She spun around and slowly trailed away from the shrine. With each step she took, Kagome felt her heart being stretched even farther, to a point that there would be nothing left.

She finally reached the house, she paced her hand on the door and turned the knob. _Locked_. Kagome thought that her mom and brother probably were gone, maybe out for supper with grandpa, or mom was probably dropping Sota off at his friend's house. Kagome's shoulder fell, reaching around to her backpack, digging her hand into a pocket to find her key.

She pulled it out, closing the pocket over, she pushed the key's end into the slot, turning it right, and then pulling it back ouf again. She turned the knob, and opened the door wide open. She walked in, she flipped on the light switch looking around, no one was home.

Kagome slipped her shoes off onto the shoe mat, she walked bare foot over to the couch, throughing her backpack onto it. It hit a cushion, and then slowly fell off of the couch, Kagome just laughed. She walked over to the fridge, opening it to get a drink. She noticed a note on the fridge to her. Her mom, grandfather and brother were gone for the weekend, they were about an hour away.

Kagome cursed herself, not knowing it was only Sunday night. Kagome grabbed the pop in the fridge, pulling it out and placing it onto the counter. She turned the radio on, and put it up full blast. She ran upstairs and into her bedroom. She went through her clothes, grabbing a pair of jean short shorts and a light pink tub-top with a yellow tanktop underneath.

The shirt came down in a V, just barely covering her bra. She glanced at her clock on her wall, it was only 8:45 pm.

She looked around her room for a moment, she saw her bright yellow slippers that hide halfway under the bed. She walked over to the bed, and slide her feet into them. She looked out her window for a moment, seeing the moon right above the tree. She walked over and pulled the curtains together. She looked over on her computer desk and saw her pink hair scrunchy.

She grabbed it and quickly put her hair up, pieces hanging down on each side. She looked around to see anything else, she then walked out of her room and ran down the stairs, back into the kitchen. She walked passed the calender, she stopped and glanced at it.

It was April.26, Kagome shock her head,_ I can't believe it is already spring_. She walked over to the freezer, and grabbed two icecubes and walked over to the counter, reaching up into a cupboard she grabbed a galss, and placed the ice into it.

She opened the pop and poured a full glass. She put the cap back onto the pop bottle and put the pop back into the fridge. She opened the pantry, looking through it for something for a snack. She grabbed a bag of microwavable popcorn, opened the microwave and through the popcorn into the microwave. She set the timer for two minutes and thirty seconds.

She grabbed a coster from the side of the sink, picked up her glass and walked into the living room. She put the coster on the side table, and put the glass onto the coster. Reaching infront of her, she picked the remote off of the wooden coffee table. She got up, and started walking over to the radio to turn it off.

The door bell rang.

Kagome sighed, forgetting about the radio. She turned around and started to walk to the door. She could see a large black figure standing outside the door. She pictured Inuyasha standing there, looking all mad with his arms crossed while staring at her. Kagome smiled at the funny thought, she walked slower trying to think about who it might be if it wasn't Inuyasha.

Maybe someone looking for Sota, or someone wanting to buy something off of grandpa. Kagome didn't think it was anyone for her. She got to the door, she grabbed the knob, and twisted it. She could hear the music playing in the back ground, she then pulled the door opened. She smiled.

Kagome leaned against the wooden door, her eyes sparkled in the porch light. She shock her head, "Well, long time no see."

The figure shifted, putting their hands in their pockets. "Yeah, it has." He stared at Kagome, a small grin came across his lips.

He saw what she was wearing, "Seems like someone is busy. Want me to go?"

Kagome's mouth widen. "Hawk, you know I don't want you to go. And no, I am not busy. I just through this on cause it is hot inside."

He looked her up and down, he grabbed her hand and spun her around. "It's getting pretty hot out here too." He stopped spinning her.

She smiled at him. "You don't have much on yourself." Kagome looked at him, with his blue jeans, a black and white t-shirt, with a thick black sweater. A small backpack hung over his shoulders, it blended in with his sweater. His hair was black as the night sky, and it was long enough to have bangs, they covered part of his left eye.

She unlocked the door, stepping outside with him. The door slowly closed behind her, she looked up at him. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged at her. She laughed under her breath, walked to the side of the house to sit on the swing, he followed her. He sat down beside her, she leaned back, while he leaned forward, looking at her. She crossed her legs.

He looked at the ground, "I'm here because I keep hearing that you are sick all the time, so I came to see if you were alright."

Kagome smiled at him, "Thanks for wondering. I am absolutely fine. There has just been alot of things going on lately. Is that the only reason you came to see me?" Kagome's head leaned a bit forward, looking at him. His gaze met hers, while shaking his head.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_Entry # 34_

_Why can't I get him out of my head ? Everything I do and everywhere I go, I always think about him. He is so rude, yet he is go understanding ...at times. He is annoying, but is really sweet. He worries about me when we are in battle, and out of battle. I wonder if he likes me, as much as I like him, maybe he does. Maybe I should talk to him about it, maybe I should tell him how I feel for him, and just maybe he might feel the same way._

_Entry # 65_

_Once again, he went with her. I don't know why he loves her, everytime he sees her or hears her name, he just completely sets his mind on her, its like I don't even exsist. He talks to me about helping her, he then talks about how much he is hurting because of her, but ...he still goes to be with her. Does that make sense at all ? It's like he doesn't want to choose, it's like he can't choose. I wish he would, and finally get it out in the open._

_Entry # 97_

_He told me that he wanted to become a full dmeon when we complete the jewel, that is his wish. He doesn't want to be a half demon and stay with me and everyone else, all he wants to do is become a blood thirsty demon. Where does that leave me? Apparantly, I don't mean anything to him, because he didn't even listen to me when I said that he should stay the way he is, sometimes I get so frustrated with him. Just once, I wish he would trust what I say and listen to me. Just once !_

_Entry # 124_

_Can I get over him, or can't I? Can he make up his mind, or not ? Can he choose between us? I don't know the answers to these questions. Sometimes, I get so annoyed that I just wanna hit him with a boulder or something, I just wanna scream my lungs out, or curse my head off at him. He drives me off the cliff called insane, but then leads me back down the path called sanity. He wants to be with me one moment, and then wants nothing to do with me the next. I don't get him at all, and I don't think I ever will._

_Entry # 152_

_This is ridiculous, this is crazy. Unbelieveable ! I can't stand fighting these unending battles, this fude with Naraku has gone too far. I am tired of this life I am in, I am tired of waking up and wondering ' Is today the day I die?' I hate that feeling I get, everyday I get it. But, he takes the feeling away, when he saids that he will protect me, when he saids that we are going to win, when he saids that he won't let anything happen to me. When he unconsiously tells me that he cares for me, the bad feelings go away, the dark room lightens up, the dreaded nightmares vanish, and the cold fingers tingling my back are replaced by his warm comforting hands. How does he do it ?_

_Entry # 186_

_I don't know what to do. He doesn't love me one moment, and then he does the next. I don't know what to do about this, I don't know what to say to him. I don't know what path to go down this time. I dont know what turn to take next. My head is spinning around and around, trying to figure out something or anything to say to him. After all that we have been through, after all that we have said to each other, and after all the battles we have fought... I find myself knowing a side of him I never knew, the side that might care for me, the side I want to show all the time, the side I think I am falling for. I think I am falling for him, ... I think I am in love with Inuyasha._

His eyes pulled away from the book, he slammed the cover shut. He stared straight at the lake, with the moon floating over it. He gasped for breath, shaking his head. He couldn't believe how stupid he was.

He sighed in the silence of the woods, the trees rustled, his hand became fists, holding them so tight they felt that they were not there. The book slid from the top of his knees, down to his stomach, the word _Diary_ sparkled when the moon hit it.

Just then, he could hear her voice in his head, playing like a song over and over again. '_I am done fighting' she said, 'I am tired of fighting' she said. What does she know about fighting? I'm fighting to have her, aren't I? _Inuyasha's thoughts were answered by a gust of wind, it carried the fragile book out of his lap, the pink book fell onto the still lake, braking the barrier between air and water.

It began to sink down deeper below the surface of the shallow lake, the ripples growing farther and farther apart. Inuyasha sighed, while he looked up to the sky, _that's my sign, huh? How the hell is that suppose to help me out ? Couldn't give me a vision or a hallucination, all you gave me was a book in the water.. what does that mean, anyways? _Inuyasha shock his head.

He through his head back, it hit the truck of the tree. A small groan came from his mouth, he grabbed the back of his head while closing his eyes, he pictured Kagome in his head. Her bright smile lighting up the darkest of his times. Her cheerful voice was like a sweet melody, that played in and out of his ears. Her exciting personality, always keeping him on his toes. Her playful attitude, always making him wonder what her next mood would be.

She would do anything or say anything and he would love it about me, whether is be shooting a marshmellow with an arrow, or just simply trying to bandage his wounds, he couldn't help but love everything that she did, everything that she does, everything that she had became while being there in the Feudal Era.

He just couldn't forget what she would say or what she did. Everything about her he could remember, from the first time their eyes met, to the first arrow he gave her, to the times they fought Naraku, and each other. To being hollared at for no reason, and then pushing her away every time he wanted her closer, always putting her second in his heart, always hurting her because of Kikyo.

'_Inuyasha, you are not hurting her, you are killing her,' Sango is right, I am hurting her... but I love her, and the only way to do that, .. is to show her !_ Inuyasha jumped out of the tree, landing on a log by Miroku and Myouga. Myouga's small body barely even krept away from the campsite, once he made it to the path, he started running as fast as he could to the well.

_Kagome, I will tell you everything that you have been dying to hear, I will show you how much I care for you._

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Kagome went silent for a moment, she was lost in his deep sea, green eyes. They swirled around in his eye like two whirl pools. She looked away from him for a moment, looking up at pitch black sky. She stood up, as she walked a few feet, she just watched the sky. Millions of bright, tiny stars filled the night sky, Kagome could only think about the time her and Inuyasha layed on the hill side, and watched them.

Kagome sighed as she closed her eyes tight, trying not to slip a tear infront of Hawk, she aimed her gaze at him. He was looking at the ground, but when Kagome took a step toward him, his eyes darted at her. She wanted to ask, but thought it would be rude.

She couldn't take it any longer, she opened her mouth. "Then what is the reason you are here?"

Hawk swung his backpack around infront of him, he placed it on the ground beside the swing. He shifted on the swing, right leg laying over his left. He narrowed his eyes at Kagome. "Come sit down."

A small grin appeared on his face. Kagome couldn't do anything else but laugh at him. She walked over to him, sitting next to him. His arm was across the back of the swing, she laid her head in his hand.

He stroked the side of her cheek, she smiled. "Tell me why your here." Her voice was just a small whisper compared to the sounds of the city.

He leaned closer to her, he grabbed her hands that laid in her lap. He cufted them with his own, looking into her eyes. "I came to see you, I miss you at school. And, ... - " He trailed off.

He let go of her hands, standing up with his back facing her. He took a few steps, while he kicked a rock toward the shrine, it hit the door. "And?" Kagome edged him on.

He dug his fists in the pockets of his jeans, he pushed the air out of his mouth. He spun around to her, she looked at him with concern.

He looked at the ground shaking his head, "Come on Hawk, just tell me." Kagome got up from her seat, she walked over to him.

Her eyes sparkled with stars as she narrowed them at him, she gave me a small smile. He looked down at her, he sighed. "I got kicked out of my house. I was thinking, if it was possible, that I could stay here with you. Just for tonight. Tomorrow my Aunt is coming home so I can go with her."

He gave a quick smile, but it faded when Kagome still had her mouth wide opened. "Why did you get kicked out?"

He could hear the concern in her voice, and saw the worry in her eyes. "I don't know why, all I know is that I don't have a place to sleep. Can I stay here, just for tonight?"

Kagome bit her lip, _well everyone isn't coming back until the middle of the night_. She shrugged her shoulders while smiling, "Sure. It doesn't matter to me."

Hawk's mouth dropped, and his eyes widened. He grabbed Kagome and pulled her into a tight hug, "It will be just like when we were kids. Only, we are way older... and we are alone."

He narrowed his eyes at Kagome, "What?" was the only way she could reply to him.

He laughed at her, "I was just joking. I'm glad that we can tell each other anything, don't you?"

Hawk gave her the biggest smile she ever seen him give. She only gave a small grin and then it slowly faded, _we don't tell each other everything, but I wish I could,_ she thought.

His eyebrows lowered and his eyes shifted into slits, staring at her in wonder, "Kagome," she jumped slightly from his voice, she was knocked out of her thoughts, and was released back into reality.

She bit her lip, she gave him a fake smile. "Yeah?"

He rolled his eyes at her, then crossed his arms. "Is there something your not telling me?"

Kagome could feel herself beginning to sweat, her right eyebrow twitched ever so slightly, "Nothing."

Hawk widened his eyes. "Hmm, your lying. Your right eyebrow twitches everytime you lie. What are you keeping a secret ?"

Kagome didn't know what to say to him. Tell him about the Feudal Era, and sound like a complete loon, or not tell him and have him think that she doesn't trust him enough to keep the secret. What was she suppose to do now?

Kagome couldn't take it anymore, the lying for school, never telling her friends about what really is going on, she was tired of everything. She took a deep breath in, and blew it out. She looked at him, his eyebrow raised. He waited for her answer.

She decided what to tell me. "Hawk, what would you say if I told you I could go to another world ? A world that is five hundred years in the past. A world with demons, and evil enemies. With monks and jewel shards. With crazy swords and even crazier companions. Would you believe me?"

Hawk was dumbfounded, couldn't think of something to say to her.

She continued. "I can go to a place like that, a place filled with things beyond your wildest dreams. A place called the Feudal Era, and the only way to it is through that shrine." She quickly pointed to her shrine, only about a hundred metres away.

Hawk's eyes were wide as ever, and his mouth was open fully. He just stared at Kagome, she didn't know whether he was thinking that she was crazy or just planning his excape. Kagome stood there is silence, waiting for him to say something.

After 5 minutes of his staring at her, he finally said something. "Holy Shit! That is completely amazing!" He hollared at the top of his lungs.

Kagome could feel the weight falling off her shoulders, "You don't think I'm crazy or anything?"

He shock his head back and forth. "Not at all, I read all about it in school. I thought how cool would it be to go to a place like that, and here you have been going there this whole time."

Kagome laughed at the thought, she nodded. "That is why I am never in school, because I am always there."

Hawk nodded, "Tell me all about it."

Kagome guided him over to the tree, they sat on the bench under the tree while she explained everything. From her falling into the well and meeting Inuyasha, to fighting Naraku and collecting the jewel shards, and it felt good to tell him. For once, she could just let it out and say everything about it and not worry about anyone thinking she was insane.

Hawk was so interested in everything that Kagome was saying. He laughed when kagome talked about Miroku and Sango, and how many times he gets slapped by Sango. He couldn't believe how cute Shippo sounded, he imagined how cute he would be in person.

Kagome even told Hawk about_ him,_ of course.

Hawk was amazed about Inuyasha. "He sounds pretty cool. I mean, he has a few rough patched but over all, he sounds like a pretty deciant guy. It would be a rush to met him."

Kagome shrugged and then sighed. She could now only think about Inuyasha, after telling Hawk about all of the adventures and all of the things they did, she could only think about Inuyasha.

He was once again the only thing on her mind. Kagome looked up at the tree, she was pulled back out of her thoughts by a question. "Do you love him?"

Kagome snapped her head up, and her eyes were set on him. "Why do you ask that?"

Hawk shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know, it sounds like he loves you, and that you love him. You guys spend so much time together, it wouldn't come as a surprise if he did love you, and vice versa."

Kagome gave him a quick smile. It was true, she did love him but she knew for a fact that he didn't love her back. Yes, she loved everything about him. His smile, his personality, his unique charm, and his adorable stubborn-ness, but what did Inuyasha think of her? He probably thought that she was an uptight, stubborn, loud mouth jewel collector. Nothing to him.

She shook her head to Hawk. "I did, but ...I realized that he doesn't love me the way I love him. So, I guess I moved on from him, but not completely. I am waiting to see what he will do next, but he probably won't come." She looked around for a moment.

Hawk nodded slowly to her. "That's too bad, "

Kagome looked back at him. He was staring at her again, with those big green whirl pools for eyes, she loved them. She tilted her head, just slightly. "How?"

Hawk brought his hand over to her cheek, he rubbed it she laid her head into his hand like before. He watched her close her eyes, and then open them once again. He gave her a smile, "He doesn't even know what he is throughing away."

Kagome smiled, looked down at her hands. She saw Hawk's other hand making it's way over to hers, he grabbed it. Her hand fell into his, she looked at her hand. _It seems perfect like that, its feels perfect like this, but, why do I only have Inuyasha on my mind, I can't get him out of my head._

Kagome let go of his hand, standing up. He looked at her confused. "Come on, let's go inside. We can pop some popcorn, but a movie on and just ... forget about everything and everyone else."

Kagome smiled. Hawk nodded to her, "Sure."

By the time he answered her, Kagome was running towards the house, already half way there. Hawk jumped up from the bench and took off after her. Kagome ran into the door, turning the knob, the door flung open. Hawk grabbed his backpack and ran into the house. He saw Kagome over by the microwave, pulling out a burst bag of popcorn and throughing it into the garbage. The radio blarring.

Hawk kicked off his shoes, grabbed the door and shut it. He laid his bag down by the coffee table, "This place looks the same when we were kids." Kagome turned around to give him a smile.

Hawk strolled over to the kitchen table. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He saw Kagome skip over to the pantry after throughing the popcorn away. She opened the door, and looked inside. Without looking at him, she asked Hawk. "What do you want to eat?"

He thought for a moment, deciding what to have. "What are you having?"

Kagome shrugged, she looked up and down the pantry. "I am going to have chips, my coke is over on the counter,and I am going to have a bowl of M&M's. You want the same?"

Kagome swung her head to him, he just smiled and nodded at her. Kagome grabbed the chips and the M&M's off of the shelf. Hawk got up and walked over to the radio, turning down the volume.

He opened a cupboard and grabbed two bowls, a small one and a big one, along with a glass for himself. Kagome brought the chips over to the counter. Hawk opened the M&M's, pouring them into the small bowl. Kagome filled the other bowl with chips. Hawk opened the fridge, grabbing the pop, and bringing it out. He poured himself a glass, and then put it back into the fridge.

Kagome grabbed the drinks and brought them over to the couch, while Hawk picked up the bowls and carried then over to the couch. Kagome sat by the phone at the end of the couch, while Hawk sat beside her. Kagome looked over at him, "I'm just going to go and put my pajamas on, I'll be right back." Kagome jumped off the couch and ran upstairs.

She opened her door and walked in. She turned on the light, going into her closet she grabbed her pink pants, that weren't bagging or anything, they were like gym pants only comfy. She took out her lime green and light blue tank top, and through that on. She looked in the mirror, her hair was still up in a ponytail. She grabbed a hair clip, and put the ponytail into it.

She still had her slippers on, so she spun around and started to walk downstairs. When she got there, Hawk only had his pajama pants on, without a shirt. Kagome didn't mind, she was use to Inuyasha and Miroku being like that all the time. At least Hawk had something to show off. Kagome plopped down onto the couch, she grabbed the remote and started flicking through the channels, Kagome sighed, while she looked over at Hawk. "Wanna watch a movie?"

Hawk nodded, "Yeah sure."

Kagome got up, walking over to the television. She opened the little cabinet on the side and pulled out a box filled with dvds. She ran her fingers through them, her eyes scanning each other.

She pulled out a horror movie, hoping that Hawk wouldn't want to watch it. He shrugged, "What do you wanna watch?"

Kagome thought about it for a moment, searching her brain. The movies flashed infront of her eyes, then she finally picked on. She searched for it in the box, and pulled it out. There was a picture of a boat on it, she smiled. "Titanic?"

He just gave a small giggle and nodded. "Sure." Kagome jumped up from her spot on the floor, pushing the box of movies back into the cabinet.

She clicked the dvd player on, opening the slot for the movie. She placed it on it tray, and slid it in. She grabbed the remote, that was on top of the dvd player, and walked over to the couch. She plopped back down onto the couch, Hawk and her's shoulders touching. She clicked play when it popped up onto the screen, and the movie began playing. Kagome could feel a cold chill, a sudden draft hit her shoulders.

She rubbed her shoulders, trying to get warm. Hawk watch her out of the corner of his eye, he turned to her. "You cold?"

Kagome suddenly stopped rubbing her arms. She swung her head over to him, "Just a little, I'm fine though." She gave a quick smile.

He shook his head. Kagome could feel something moving over her, she looked over to her left and she saw a hand falling down onto her shoulder. She looked over to Hawk, he gave her an innocent grin.

She laughed at him, while leaning into his side. Her head rested on his shoulder, his head laid ontop of her head. Kagome just laughed at the thoughts running through her head, _what if I dated Hawk? _

_He is a funny guy, he is charming, good looking, and he understands everything about me going to the Feudal Era, what else could I possibly wish for? _Kagome paused the movie, hearing the sound of the phone ringing.

Kagome grabbed the phone beside her, clicking the 'talk' button, "Hello? Oh, hi mom. What's up?"

Kagome could hear her mom saying that things were fine, and then heard her mom apologizing for not telling her about the trip sooner.

"It's okay, I'm completely fine here." Hawk tighten the grip on her shoulder, Kagome let out a small giggle.

Her mother asked who was there. "Oh no one. Hawk just stopped by to see how I was doing with being _sick_, and all."

Her mom sighed, Kagome laughed a little when she said it was good that he didn't know about the Feudal Era."Well, I kinda told him about it. But he thinks it is amazing, so it's okay."

Her mom asked her why tell Hawk and not anyone else, Kagome looked at Hawk, "It's different with him, I can trust him." Her mom laughed a little, and told her to behave herself. "Alright mom, see you in the morning, be careful! Bye." Kagome clicked off the phone, placing it back onto the table.

Kagome grabbed the remote, and was about to start the movie again when Hawk held her hand to stop her. Kagome stared at him for a second, until he questioned her. "What did your mom say?"

Kagome gave him a small smile, "Nothing really. Just told us to behave and everything."

She shrugged with a raised an eyebrow to her. He let go of her hand, still had her looking straight at him. He brought his hand up to her cheek, his fingers pressing about her velvety skin, as he looked deep into her eyes. "And, what if we didn't?"

A silly grin was on his face, Kagome bit her lip slightly. She gave a little giggle, "What did you have in mind?" Her voice was seductive and sweet. Kagome slid out from under his arm, leaning her back against the couch's arm. It was his move.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

_As long as I tell her how I feel, she should undertsnad my actions. Right?_

Inuyasha ran through the forest, his feet feeling like they were going to break under the speed. His hand pulsed and surged pain up through his arm, he glanced at it.. the small sword was just a bit bigger then earlier.

_What if she doesn't forgive me? How am I going to do this without her?_ Inuyasha through the thought out of mind, and used the energy to run even faster. He dodged everything that came in his way. Rocks, twigs, branches, and even a squrrial. Inuyasha finally made it to the well, he looked down into it before he pushed off of the edge and fell into the darkness.

_Kagome, I won't leave you alone. I am coming to be with you, just wait._


	4. The Rain Washes Away Her Identity

Chapter 4, The Rain Washes Away Her Identity

_In the back of her mind, his name called out to her. His sweet voice played into her ears like a soft melody, strings spun around in her head, the feeling of his warm breath whispering into her ear, she slowly drifted more and more from reality. The man standing infront of her, his sword barring at their enemy, she didn't know what was going to happen next. Either he was going to attack them, or they were going to attack them. The screams from the girl with long red hair pierced through his ears. She heard him moan from the shriek he head, she saw the red-haired girl slowly fall to the ground, she watched his grip tighten on his sword._

_" You are going to pay for that, Naraku!" His fangs twinkled into the moonlight, lost from the darkness. Naraku's face slowly turned into a sickening grim that went from ear to ear. " You love her, don't you? But I thought it was Kagome you treasured, never the less!" _

_A fast moving tenticle darted for her, she could hear his screams of terror. Her name he cryed out as the tenticle lunged into the flesh, embeding inself inside. There were moans and groans of pain, as their stomach was cletched. The poisoning being released into their system, it felt like a thousand knives being stabbed into the stomach. She didn't know when to move. She didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to say. The only thing she could think about was what he was thinking, and then she opened her eyes. She saw him on the ground, blooding pouring out of him, she gasped. Her fingers tinkling, she voice shaky as she kneeled down to his level. His eyes locked with hers. Her heart waiting to break, she whispered as tears slowly started to come to her eyes. " Inuyasha."_

Kagome was gasping for air, she was drowning in her own sweat. She was cold all over, she was shaky like crazy and she could still see that menacing smile of Naraku, she could still see Inuyasha on the ground, bleeding his life away. She breathed harder with every second that passed. Hawk stopped kissing her neck, he looked up at her. Kagome wouldn't look at him, her eyes were set beyond him, she couldn't bare to gaze at him. Hawk gave her a questioning look, with his eyebrow cocked and his eyes staring right at her.

He pushed himself off of her, his hands her settled right beside each of her shoulders, he went wide eyed. "Kagome, are you alright?"

Kagome didn't hear him, her mind was dead set on the vision, hallucination, or whatever you can call it. She thought that it had something to do with the strange voice she heard earlier, but she couldn't be sure. She was lost in her thoughts, lost in the hallucination.

_This can't be real_ she protested, _it can't be. Naraku could never defeat Inuyasha,_ she paused to think for a moment, _could he? _

Kagome didn't know what to believe, was it real or just her imagination playing tricks on her? How could she be sure? Kagome snapped out of her panic state, she finally noticed Hawk looking at her, and then hearing her ask if she was okay, once again.

She clamed herself down, "I'm okay, it's just..." she didn't know how to explain it. "I just thought of something is all, and I was very shocked by what I did think. Nothing important." _I don't think_.

Hawk gave a slight nod to her, a small smile went across Kagome's lips. A fake smile. She didn't want to lead on that anything was wrong, he would just ask all sorts of questions and the truth was that she didn't know how to answer any of them.

She gave him another quick smile, his lips turned into another light grin, as he continued on. "Good. Now, where were we?" Kagome just laughed at him, she swung her arms around his neck, and pulled him closer to her. As they got closer, their lips finally touched. Kagome pulled away from him, Hawk went back to kissing her neck like before. Kagome giggled a little, it tickled her a bit.

She could feel a hand slipping under her shirt, he tickled her stomach with the touch of his fingers. They were cold. Kagome gave a small laugh, looking down at him. He gave her a slight smile as he pulled her shirt up to his belly button, he kissed her stomach and she almost flipped off the couch from the tickling feeling. Kagome through her head back in laughter, Hawk moved up her shirt.

He was thrown on his back on the opposite side of the couch, when Kagome made a ear piercing scream and sat up so fast Hawk was dizzy. Hawk narrowed his eyes at her, she looked around the house and then at the door. "Are you okay, Kagome?"

Kagome shook her head, she felt like she was floating. The sinsation being between concious and unconcious, "I saw something outside!"

Hawk got up off the couch, about to walk to the door. Kagome jumped up and stopped him in his path.

He gave her a confused look, and then she shock her head. "I'll go, I've been through worse." Kagome turned her head slightly to the door, her narrowed her eyes at the small window at the top, and then at the knob. "If I'm right.. "

Kagome trailed off as she slowly stepped toward the door, Hawk taking a few steps with her. Kagome motioned him away, he listened and sat back onto the couch with a helpless look on his face. Kagome neared the door, she put her hand on the knob, waiting for some kind of sign to open the door, and then it came.

Three hard knocks came on the door, Kagome breathed in, and then blew it out. She twisted the door knob, and swung open the door, to see him standing there.

Kagome sighed as she rolled her eyes. She let the door go, she hands making their way to her chest while they crossed over each other. Her hip tilted to the right as she stared him up and down.

She gave him a smug look, with a twist of anger. "What do you want, Inuyasha?" Her voice was harsh and cold. Her eyes turned to slits, and her face was emotionless.

He looked at her, a shiver was sent up and down his spine. He rolled his eyes like she had done hers. "Kagome, I want you to come back to the Feudal Era. I want you to actually trust me this one time, and come back with us."

Kagome could hear footsteps, as she turned around to see Hawk behind her. He swung his arm around her waist and pulled her to his hip. "Is this the guy you were talking about?"

His voice was clam and easy. Kagome nodded to him, "Inuyasha, this is Hawk. Hawk, this is Inuyasha."

In tradition, Inuyasha grabbed his eyes to hide from Hawk.

_What is Kagome doing here with_ _him,_ _and where the hell is his clothes?_ Inuyasha gave him a slight grin, but it slowly faded. "Hi."

Kagome rolled her eyes at Inuyasha, she gave a small sigh and then finally told him. "Hawk knows about you Inuyasha, I told him." Inuyasha slowly let go of his eyes, as they twitched.

Hawk gasped in shock, "Wow, that is amazing." He ran out of the house and over to Inuyasha, and began rubbing his ears.

Inuyasha sighed in irratation, he glanced over at Kagome, "Did you have to tell him?"

Hawk gave a quick small, "His ears are so soft, they are wicked!"

Kagome giggled a bit, "I told you."

Hawk finally stopped rubbing Inuyasha's ears and went back into the house, and stood by Kagome. He turned to her, "Do you want me to shut the movie off for now?"

Kagome stared at him, his eyes darting at her, she could melt from his eyes. She slowly nodded, "Sure. We can watch it later on."

Hawk nodded to her, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips and walked over into living room. Inuyasha widened his eyes are Kagome. Kagome crossed her arms again, she stared at the ground for a moment.

She grabbed the side of the door, while she leaned her side on it. Inuyasha finally broke the silence, "Can I talk to you?"

Kagome nodded slightly. "Are you going to come inside, or stand out there?" Inuyasha walked inside as he heard Kagome slam the door shut.

Kagome walked over to the living room, grabbing her drink off of the table and then walking back into the kitchen. She grabbed a glass out of the cupboard and laid it on the counter, she turned her head to Inuyasha, as he was sitting on one of the kitchen tables.

"Do you want something to drink, or anything to eat?"

Inuyasha gave a slight nod, "I am starving."

Kagome heard his stomach rumble, as she giggled for a second, "I can see that." Kagome turned fully around, and looked at him, then glanced over at the clock.

"Well, it's 10 o'clock. What do you want to eat?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, "What is that thing called, it's a circle with cheese, these little circles and it's on something like bread?"

Kagome shook her head as she laughed, "Pizza? Sure, I'd like some too. Do you want some pizza Hawk?"

Hawk got off of the couch and jogged over to her, "I'd love some. I'm just gonna get a quick shower though, okay?" Kagome nodded. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and ran up the stairs to the bathroom.

When Inuyasha and Kagome were finally alone, Inuyasha decided to finally ask her. "Who is he?"

Kagome grabbed the pizza out of the freezer, placing it on a tray and putting it into the oven as she turned it on, she took out two mits and placed them on the counter.

She grabbed the pizza cutter out of the drawer, "A friend. He was kicked out of his house, and he needed a place to stay until Sunday. So, I thought that since my mom and Sota are gone for the weekend that it would be alright. Why, are you jealous?"

Kagome looked over her shoulder, Inuyasha stuck his nose in the air. " Jealous? Of him? Ahaha, not at all!"

Kagome just shock her head and went back to what she was doing, a moment later Inuyasha asked her. "Do you like him?"

Kagome turned around, as she passed Inuyasha his drink. She grabbed a seat at the table, she placed her hands infront of she as she looked at her scar on her finger.

She looked up at Inuyasha. "He is sweet, charming, funny, sensitive, easy to talk to, and thoughtful, everything a girl would want, but..."

Kagome trailed off, she got up and took the pop back out of the fridge and poored more into her glass, the pop rolled on the shelf as Kagome through it back into the fridge.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow to her, "But what?"

Kagome shock her head and the picked her glass up and sat back at the table, "Nothing, I just don't think I want to be with him. But, a better question is why are you here?" Kagome took a drink of her pop.

Inuyasha shrinked into his chair, he didn't know how to tell he, or how to answer her questions. He knew much about it as she did. Inuyasha put his hand out to her and opened it, "This."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at his hand. She grabbed and put his hand into hers, she looked at the small scar that had formed onto his hand.

"It's your Time Of Jikar?"

Inuyasha pulled his hand back, he stared at her in shock. "You know about it?"

Kagome gave him a slight nod, "I was told the story by my mother, and learned it in school. When did it happen?"

Inuyasha sighed, "Earlier today, a little bit after you left. Miroku tryed to poke it with his knife, but it went back to normal and got a bit bigger. Myouga was going to tell me about it, but then Sango had to talk to me, so I told him that it could wait til the morning. I came here to tell you about it, but apparently you know more then me, what do you know about it?"

Kagome sighed while she nodded, "You know that you will have to go through the most intensifying and most painful training of your entire life."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, his eyes felt heavy, but his body felt weightless, "I know that I had to do some kind of training. Tell me the story of it, I am dying to hear it."

Kagome didn't know how to tell him, what to say first, how to word it. How was she going to tell him something so important and so dangerous? Kagome cleared her throat and stared at him.

"In every demons life, they must go through their Time Of Jikar, a time to train and become a better fighters. For some it means great power, for others it means death. During your Time of Jikar, the spirit of Jikar will call for you, and tell you your one and only task. The task must be completed before the end of Jikar. If it is not ocmplete, you will have failed your Time of Jikar and..."

Kagome paused, wondering if she should go on.

Her throat felt like it was going to close over. " ... you will die. If you complete the task then you will live long. There are six stages to it, and every stage gets harder and harder. Your stage has already started, stage one. From today, you have seven days to train before you go up against your first opstical on the evening of the eighth day. This will carry on until you defeat five of the stages, each stage represents a different element that is difficult in your life, or that represents something close to you. The sixth stage is all of the previous ones combined into one. When, and if you defeat the final stage, is the only time that you will have to feel true power, and it has only happened to one man, Jikar."

Inuyasha couldn't believe what she was saying, what was he going to do about this? He wondered, "These stages, what will they come as? A weapon, a person?" Kagome sighed.

She continued on, " They will appear in the forms of swords, each one posessed with a soul. Each one, again, representing some part of you. Usually, the stages are the same. The swords will come one after another, and each time they will be more cunning, more swift, and more deadly. Aritis, is the first sword. It represents a women for lost her husband in battle, she was ripped apart and promised to kill everyone that cause her husband's death, this stage is Revenge."

"Palondite, is the second sword. He died in a war, one thousand men against him, he died only a few moments after the war started, this stage is Bravery."

"Nephiron, is the third sword. He searched for his love, someone that would be as good as he was, and better. He ended up alone, he could not find someone worthy of himself, this stage is Pride." She couldn't believe she was telling him this, couldn't believe that he was going through this.

"Mesilan, is the forth stage. He was given a sword, but he wanted more then just glory... he wanted power. He was controlled by the power the sword had given him, he was then stored away into it, this stage is Greed."

"Requiem, is the fifth stage. He was loved by all, and admire like a true warrior. He wanted everything only for himself and no one could have it. Only him, this stage is Triumph." Kagome paused for a moment, taking a drink of her pop.

Inuyasha edged her on, "What about the final stage?"

Kagome nodded, as she placed the glass back down on the table. "The final stage is when all five swords come back and merge together to become one. Zanalek, is the last and final stage. She is the goddess of everything unpure, but the one person who can make you give up your soul because of her beauty. She was loved for her looks, and charm but she was alone, and never loved anyone. All of the swords create this superior sword. This stage is... Love. Those who pass her with live on, those who fall for her beauty, or her power will be sent to the very center of Hell for eternity."

Kagome paused, she bit her lip, wondering if she should tell him, her voice was a meer whisper, "Just like your father."

Inuyasha's ears twitched, as he stared at her. "My father?" She nodded to him.

Inuyasha shock his head. "My father was the most powerful demon, he would not fall for this Zanalek or anyone."

Kagome shock her head while she rolled her eyes. "The reason your father died, was because it was his Time of Jikar, and he failed. Zanalek gave him one last try to carry out his task. He failed to do so, she was the main reason he is not here Inuyasha. Many demons have died from these, and some were as powerful as your father, and even they were not strong enough to defeat Zanalek. I don't think you are either."

Inuyasha's eyes glared at Kagome with uncertain eyes. "You don't believe that I can do it, you don't think I am as strong as her?"

Kagome shook her head, "Your not. This is only suppose to be for full fledge demons, Inuyasha. I don't know why you were choosen, your father's blood runs in your veins, so maybe that is why you were choosen. Zanalek will be waiting, and she will know how to defeat you. If your father, the Great and Power Dog-Demon, can not defeat her, what makes you so sure you can?"

Inuyasha lowered his head, his hands becoming fists at the force of him tighting them.

His teeth clenched in his mouth, he looked at Kagome. "I can defeat her, and I will. My father's blood runs in my veins, and his power is in his blood. I have my father's power. I will train, and I will defeat her at any costs."

Kagome shock her head, _he is so stubborn_. She stared in straight in the eyes, "At any costs?" She paused for a moment. "Tell me Inuyasha, .. are you willing to go through with this, no matter what might happen?"

Inuyasha just gave her a slight nod, and then let her continue on. "Then, do you want to know the cost to defeat her is?"

Inuyasha took a deep breath in, then nodded once more. Kagome bit her lip, and then cleared her throat.

"Your life." She could feel tears coming up to her eyes. "Are you willing to put that at risk? Are you ready to die, Inuyasha? Can you accept the fact that your grave is already dug for you? Is your life worth defeating her?" Inuyasha went quiet for a moment, then after a few moments. He nodded.

Kagome cupped her face in her hands, shaking her head. Inuyasha broke the silence. "I am prepared to risk everything to defeat her. My life, my exsistance, .. my very soul. I will defeat her, and I will be one of two who will have defeated her."

Kagome shock her head, "No, you won't be. You will die if you go through with this. You can not defeat her, Inuyasha. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you will not want to fight her. Your father is dead because of her, thousands of demons are dead because of her. You are only a half-demon. What makes you think you can defeat her? If a thousand demons can not defeat her, a thousand demons that are as strong as your father, then what is telling you that you, a half-demon, can defeat her?" Kagome's eyes were wide, and worried.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders, "I can and I will. If my father could almost defeat her then- "

Kagome interrupted him. "Your not your father. You will never be Inu-Tashu. I believed that your father could defeat her, but he didn't, and you won't be able to either. Not even with my help. You can't win, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha got out of his seat and walked over to her, he stared in her eyes.

She shock her head, "I don't want you to die, trying to be your father."

Inuyasha's hand rested against her cheek, a small tear floated down her cheek. He whispered, "If you can believe in him, then why can't you believe in me? I am training starting tomorrow, if you want to help me then I will see you then. I hope you come." Inuyasha let go of her cheek and ran out of the house, and was gone before Kagome could say anyother word.

_Why didn't I tell him about my vision, if I am sure about it.. then the final stage will be even more difficult_. Kagome was lost in her thoughts, everything kept going back to her seeing Inuyasha on the ground, bleeding out under the hands of Naraku, and that... Kagome gasped. A sword, he was holding a sword. _Is Naraku Inuyasha's final stage?_

Kagome started shaking, she heard footsteps coming back down the stairs. Hawk came to the bottom of the stairs with a towel wrapped around his waist, and one that hung around his neck. "Is everything okay with Inuyasha?"

Kagome could hear thunder, and a flash of lightning could be seen, she nodded. "Everything is fine. Everything is going to be fine." She couldn't tell him, how could she. She would have to go to Inuyasha tomorrow, if she could, and try to talk to him again.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Inuyasha was drenched from head to toe, _of course.. when I get back it is raining cats and _dogs.

He made a small laugh as he continued on walking toward the campsite, tripping over roots and rocks again. The rain was beginning to get worse every second that passed, Inuyasha finally passed the Sacred Tree, but then he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye, he walked over to the tree to check out what is was.

He found a piece of clothing that was hanging onto a piece of the tree, he looked under the tree and saw a young girl. She looked no older then Kagome. She face was dirty with mud, and her hair was knotted. She was soaked from head to toe, and she looked like she was sleeping. Inuyasha didn't know what to do, he then picked her up into his arms and started running to the campsite.

_Who are you, and why are you out here all alone?_


	5. It's Destined To Be

Chapter 5, It's Destined To Be

" Where did you find her?"

Their voices sounded concerned, yet angry all at the small time. The young girl was in one of the many sleeping bags they had, with about 5 blankets covering her. Sango was sitting by her, washing the dirt from her face. The sun shone through the leaves of the trees onto her face. She had long red hair, straight with a bit of curl to it and as long at Kagome's. Inuyasha sat down on a log infront of her, wondering who she was and where she had came from, he wondered when she was going to awake, and what she would do when she saw them. Sango picked up the clothes after washing her face, and walked over to sit by Miroku. Inuyasha just stared at her, _there is something about her.. somehow, I think I know her_.

Inuyasha's head shot from her to Miorku, when he asked him again where he had found her. Inuyasha's voice was calm and clear. " I was on my way back here last night after going for a walk, and when I was passing the Sacred Tree, I saw a piece of clothing. It looked like mine only yellow, when I went to pick it up, I saw her laying on the ground in the mud with the rain beating down on her. I just couldn't leave her there." When he finished, his gaze went back to her, he could remember her. She seemed so formilor, but how ?

Miroku cleared his throat and took a piece of bread out of a bag, and began to nibble on it. " Well, what do you do about her? She was alone, and we just can't send her on her way without knowing who she is. There might be people out looking for her as we speck. What do you think Myouga?" The small flee demon jumped onto Miroku's shoulder, sniffing the air for blood. Miroku gave him a look and Myouga forgot about it, and just sat on his shoulder. Looking over at Inuyasha, he seemed a little confused, or puzzled.

Myouga crossed his four arms together, as he questioned Inuyasha. Myouga tryed not to draw attention to his twitching knee. " Do you know her, Master Inuyasha?" Inuyasha just stared at her, her face was so beatiful, even though she was sleeping. He imagined her as a goddess, running away or searching for her soulmate. Inuyasha gave Myouga a questioning eyebrow raise. " I feel as if I know her, but I don't know how." Inuyasha stared back at her, her nose becoming bigger and then smaller with every breath she took. Myouga coughed and didn't saw another word. Shippo came running over when he finally woke up.

He looked at the sleeping girl, and didn't think another thing about her. He gazed at Inuyasha with big boulging eyes, " Wanna go swimming with me, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha moved his glance from the unknown girl, to the little fox in-front of him. A small smile crept onto his face, " Sure, we should all go swimming and leave her to rest."

Myouga shook his head as he jumped up and down, " But Master Inuyasha, you must start training soon."

Inuyasha turned to Myouga. " I know all about it, Kagome told me everything and I am ready for it, I just want to have a little bit of fun before I have to start training non-stop. Will you guys go swimming, for me ?"

After a few moments they were all dressed and ready to go swimming, except for Myouga. He decided to lay on a blanket on a branch so he wouldn't drown, and no one could step on him. Inuyasha swam under the water, insearch for the diary that fell into the water the night before, but it was no use. It was gone by now. He jumped out of the water and through a towel around his neck, it hung down on his chest. His swimming trunks felt like they were made of bricks, as he walked passed Myouga and over to the campsite.

Inuyasha dryed himself off, he changed back into his robes, but not his shirt. The sun was too hot to wear that much. He tossed the towl onto a tree to dry, he glanced over at the sleeping girl. Her red hair looked like it was glowing. Now, without the dirt on her face, she was so beautiful. Her skin was darkened by the sun, her lips were a rosey pink. _She is so... beautiful_. Inuyasha sat down across from her, the only thing that seperated them was the roaring fire, getting higher and higher. _Who are you ?_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Kagome almost fell out of the shower the next Monday morning. Hawk had already gone home the night before. Kagome pulled a towel around her and jumped out of the shower, while she ran into her room. She searched through her clothes, she finally decided on a pair of white jeans and her pink tank top with white and black strips going through it. She ran over to her dresser and pulled out her hairdryer. Her hair blew everywhere's, in every direction. She set it down as she put on her makeup and pulled her backpack on over her back. She looked at herself for a moment in the mirror and then ran down stairs.

Kagome's mother was already making Kagome breakfest. Sota was playing his video game on the couch, and grandpa could be seen through the kitchen window, sweeping the grounds. Kagome ran to the door, and put her backpack down beside her shoes and then turned back to the kitchen to get something to eat. Her mom placed a plate infront of her with bacon, eggs, toast and a glass of orange juice on the side. " Thanks mom, but... I'm not that hungry. " Kagome grabbed a piece of bacon and started nibbling on it.

Her mother rolled her eyes at her, " It's your first day back to school in a long time, and I thought that it would be a good day if you had a good breakfest. How is Inuyasha doing ?" Her mom asked turning around to make her grandfather's breakfest.

Kagome had been thinking about what had happened with Inuyasha all weekend. Kagome took a drink of her juice, " Oh, he is getting ready to start training soon." Kagome took a bit of her toast.

Her mom nodded, " Sounds fun. Do you want to take the car to school, or do you want me to drive you ?"

Kagome thought for a moment. " I'll take the car, and can I have some money for lunch. Me, Hawk and a few other people are going to eat out for lunch and talk about what has been going on lately. "

Kagome grabbed the car keys off of the kitchen table, and took $15 from her mom. Kagome ran to the door, she grabbed her black sweater and pulled it on, she slipped her pink and black high heels on and picked up her backpack. She picked her purse up from the coat rack and held it in her hand. She was about to leave when her mom shouted to her, " Will you drop Sota off at school?"

Kagome turned around to look at her mother. She gave her a fake smile, while she nodded. " Sure!"

Sota jumped off of the couch and ran over to Kagome, he through his sweater on and pulled on his shoes. He swung his backpack over his shoulder. Sota opened the door and ran outside, Kagome yelled back, " Bye Mom." and closed the door behind her. Sota was already by the car and ready to go when Kagome got outside. She opened her side and then his. Sota jumped in the front seat with Kagome and through his backpack on the ground on the car. Kagome put her backpack in the back seat, and put his purse beside her. She put the key in the slot, turned it and put the car in drive.

It was a quiet drive to Sota's school, then Sota stopped it when he asked Kagome, " Kagome, are you and Inuyasha dating ?"

Kagome glanced at him from the corner of her eye, " Why do you ask that, Sota ?"

Sota shrugged his shoulders. " I don't know. I like him. He is pretty cool, and funny. Don't you think ?"

Kagome turned to him with a smile, " Yeah, he is." She turned back to look at the road.

Sota continued on with his questions, " Would you marry him?"

Kagome giggled a little bit, she took her hand and ran it through his hair, " Do you want me and him to be together?" Sota gave the biggest smile and nodded. Kagome just laughed.

She pulled up infront of his school. Sota un-did his seat belt and put his hand on the handle. He looked at his sister, " Promise me something ?"

Kagome nodded with a smile, " Anything." Sota jumped out of the car, and slammed the door shut. He took his backpack and through it over his shoulder.

" Promise me you will think about it. You know, Inuyasha." Kagome looked at him with a silly smile, "Sure, I'll think about it, but that doesn't mean I will. "

Sota just laughed and ran into the school. Kagome pulled away from the side, _I already thought about it Sota_. The car veered the the left of the lane, and she headed for school.

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

It was still early the next day, Inuyasha thought that she wasn't going to wake for awhile. Inuyasha stood up and walked over to the tree to hang the rest of his clothing. Everyone had gone swimming again and Inuyasha decided to stay and watch over the girl. There was a small moan, and then a groan that could be heard. Inuyasha quickly spun around and saw the young girl start to stir in her sleep. Inuyasha got nervous, _what if she thinks I kidnapped her or something ?_ The young girl rubbed her eye, as she yawned and began to open her eyes.

Her eyes turned to slits when they opened, the bright light went into her eyes when she tryed to sit up. She stretched out her arms, and legs and yawned once more, she looked at the ground and scratched her head. She saw feet infront of her, she followed the feet as she saw the man standing infront of her. Inuyasha didn't know what to do or to say. He looked into her eyes, they were the most greenest eyes he had ever saw, they looked like two emeralds. Inuyasha gave a friendly smile, " Hello, I'm - " He was cut off.

The young girl had jumped up out of the sleeping bag. The small dress that she was wearing was, shockingly clean, as she ran towards him, she screamed his name. " INUYASHA !!" She jumped into his arms, and started to swing around him. Inuyasha tryed to stop her, his hand fell on her back and stopped her from moving, he pulled her off of his body and stood her infront of her.

" You know me ?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow to her. Her bright green eyes went wide.

" I have searched these hills for you. And at last I finally found you !! " Her voice was soft and sweet, it could turn Naraku's heart to gold.

Inuyasha gave a small laugh as he crossed his arms, " And, why did you come insearch for me?"

By then, everyone else had came up to Inuyasha and the young girl. They had water running down them and making puddles all over the camp. Shippo was sitting on a log by the fire, trying to dry off. Sango had a towel wrapped around her body, standing by Miroku who had a towel around his shoulders. Myouga was in Miroku's hand, and jumped over to sit by Shippo.

The young girl ran her fingers through her hair. She smiled, her teeth were as bright as the sun when she smiled, she shrugged her shoulders.

" I thought you knew why I was here." She sounded confused.

Sango pushed through Miroku and Inuyasha, and gave the girl a small smile. " Hello, I'm Sango."

The young girl greeted her with a quick smile. " Hi, I'm Paige. " Myouga jumped up from the log, " PAIGE !!" He jumped his way over to her.

Paige caught him in the palm of her hand. " Myouga, how are you?" She gave him a kiss in his head, he began to blush. " Fine. I have been with Master Inuyasha."

Inuyasha gasped. He walked over to Piper and Myouga, " You know each other, but ...how?" Myouga nodded to Inuyasha. Paige just smiled again.

Her hair fell to one side on her face as she tilted her head to him. " You don't remember me?" Paige's eyes turned sad, all the happiness in her face was gone. Inuyasha shook his head as he shurgged.

" Sorry but no, am I suppose to ?" Inuyasha glanced over to Myouga, giving him a ' what's going on ?' look.

Myouga sighed, Paige dropped him onto Inuyasha's shoulder. " Master Inuyasha. Paige's father was your father's friend. They fought together and won together in most battles."

Inuyasha nodded, " So, what does that have to do with me and her?"

Paige sighed as she rolled her eyes. Myouga looked at her, and then to Inuyasha. " Well, you are both half-demon, yet she looks like a human. You both are the same age."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, and edged him on. " That's it, nothing else ?"

Paige crossed her arms, as she swung her hips to the side as she looked up at the sky. Myouga shook his head. " No, your fathers made an agreement that when you both were old enough, that someone would tell Paige to go insearch for you. "

Inuyasha didn't like where this was going_. If I'm right, that means_... " And, the question goes back to why would she search for me?" He gazed over at Paige, she still had her arms crossed but her eyes were fixed on him.

Myouga shrugged. " I guess your fathers wanted you guys to know each other before you spent the rest of your lives with each other." He gave a sheepish smile at him.

Inuyasha's eyes went wide, his jaw dropped, " What!?" Paige walked over to Inuyasha. Myouga jumped out of the way, onto Miroku's shoulder.

Paige brought her nose to his, she breathed on his mouth. " That's right. We are betrothed. Your destined to be with me." She pulled back from him, and gave a grin.

" Bachelor party, Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted with joy.


	6. School And Truth

**A/N** **January 16'09 5:10PM** - Sorry I have not updated since back in November, but I was trying to figure out what I should write next in the story. I was going to update around the end of November, but I had a million and two different tests and projects so I didn't get to. Since it is the new year, I decided to update. I hope you like this chapter, and the rest of the story ! Thank you for waiting so long !

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

Chapter 6, School and Truth

The car finally made it's way to the school, it was about eight thirty so there was about twenty more minutes until school actually started. Kagome picked her usual parking spot: it was on the north side of the student parking lot. She cut the engine and pulled the keys out of the slot. Kagome through her hands behind in to the back seat of her car, and grabbed her backpack and purse from the middle seat and pulled them into her lap. Sh opened her car door and locked it behind her. Kagome swung her back around her back, and then slid her purse over her right shoulder. She clicked the alarm alert on her car and through her keys into her purse.

Kagome started to walk to the school. Students were everywhere around the school. The cheerleaders were practicing their cheers on the grass off to the side of the school. The football players were going over passes and scoring stradegies. The nerds were sitting on the steps going into the school, with laptops in their hands, probably trying to figure out the school's website's question on the day. Kagome finally made it into the school, with about fiffteen minutes to spare. There was almost no one when she entered the school, there was a small space over in the middle of the open space.

She ended up sitting on one of the benches in the middle of the open space. She took out her phone to check a few things. Kagome turned her phone on as it beaped, she looked around trying to find some of her friends. No one around. She started to think about what happened over the weekend with Hawk, wondering what to do about it. _Maybe it would be a good idea if we stayed friends_, her thoughts ran wild, _but I don't want to hurt his feelings._ Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when her phone started beaping. In-coming text.

She opened her inbox and checked to see who the message was from, Eri. _Of course_. Kagome clicked on the message and began to skim through it. She repeated the last line, "_Turn around in 5, 4, 3, 2 ...-" _Kagome spun around.

Her arms were filled with her bestfriend, Eri, as she slammed in to her body with her own. Kagome gasp for air as she let Eri go. "Where's the fire?" Kagome spat out, her breathes long and deep.

"Sorry Kagome," Eri apologized. "I just wanted to be the first one to welcome you back! I thought you, like, died! Well, Hojo did." A giggle escaped her lips. "Did you hear there is a new student?"

Kagome's eyebrow raised on an angle. _Great, another pest to deal with_. "No, I didn't. First day back, remember?"

Eri laughed, her hand resting on Kagome's shoulder as they sat down on the bench. "He is beyond gorgeous, er that is what I heard. Today is suppose to be his first day. He is a singer!"

Kagome wasn't impressed. She'd battled demons, and shot sacred arrows, and risked her life once or twice. What was _so_ special about this new guy? "Who is he?"

Eri thought for a moment, her finger beginning to tap the bottom of her chin. Kagome could feel a detailed story emerging. "Well. Yuki told Eric who is dating Alenia, who is bestfriends with Hojo's cousin Junese, who told Yuki. And Yuki told me, and now I'm telling you!" Smile.

Kagome's eyes went wide, wondering if she got the right message from her previous question. "I didn't mean how you know, I meant what's his name? Who is he?"

"Oh," Eri giggled. "Shay!"

"Shay?" Kagome's mouth fell open. "As in 'S' to the 'H' to the 'A' to the 'Y'? The Shay?"

"The very same."

Kagome giggled, "Oh my god! That is rediculous! Why would he come to our school?"

Eri sighed, "I know. Amazing isn't it? So, what have you been doing since you were 'sick'?"

_Uh-oh, did she think I wasn't sick?_ A lump formed in Kagome's throat, she tried hard to swallow it as she looked at her questioning eyes. She had to lie: again. "I actually was sick, but than I had to go see my Aunt who was in the hospital."

Her friend gasped. "Really? What was wrong with her?" Eri thought for a moment, " If that the one with the pool or the yot?"

_Of course she never both of them!_ Kagome thought of the story, going over it in her head. Her palms beginning to sweat. "The one with the pool. She was helping my Uncle with cementing around the pool, and she fell in with the water out of it. But, she is okay now."

Eri sighed, "Thats good," she nodded. "Well, I heard you were spending some time alone with Hawk, huh?" Her eyebrow raised. Kagome didn't know what to say to that, what could she say to that?

"Ummm," she tried to think of how to say it. "-he got kicked out of his house, so he needed a place to stay and so he stayed over my house since my mom and brother were still at my Aunt's house. And then, Inuyasha came over and wrecked everything!" Kagome's eye started to bulg in her head.

"Inuyasha?" Eri repeated. "Is he the guy your always talking about? The bad boy?"

Kagome giggled at the thought of Inuyasha in a leather jacket, riding a motorcycle at top speed on the highway. His silver hair dancing in the wind, him reeving the engine as he would be getting pulled over by an officer. Getting a ticket and then zooming away afterwards. Inuyasha wasn't that type of bad boy, but plane.. stupid.

Kagome nodded, "Yeah, that's the guy." She giggled. "Me and Hawk were watching a movie, and things happened and we-"

"Wait," Eri cut her off. "What do you mean 'things happened'? You didn't sleep with him did you!?" Eri's voice changed from a soft, sweet sign of a tone, to a yelling roar.

Kagome bursted into laughter, but than thought it over in her head. _If Inuyasha didn't come by, it probably would have went that far_. "No!" She stated. "We were just kissing, and than Inuyasha showed up, rambling on about this umm,..." She couldn't say sword or curse. "Buisness, his father was giving him." It sounded possible.

Eri nodded, "Sounds cool, the buisness thing and all." She stopped herself, "But you two kissed!?" Her mouth hung opened. How was Kagome going to get herself out of this one?

Kagome bit her lip a bit, "Yeah," she admitted. "I do like him and everything, but I think that me and him should stay friends. It was a little weird, you know." Kagome giggled. "But anyways. I'm so glad to be back in school, it got really boring not being here." Like demons, swords and people trying to kill you weren't boring!

"Good to know!" Eri smiled. "I hope I get to see Shay today, or at least talk to him. The school has been buzzing ever since they announced he was coming here. It is going to be a feeding frenzy. The girls are going to be all over him!" Her laughed sang through Kagome's ears.

"Yeah, I can see girls fighting each other over who gets his tissue already!" Kagome laughed at her own joke. "But, I highly doubt he will pay attention to any girls here, he is a 'star' by the way." Kagome shook her head.

"Yeah." Eri sighed.

Kagome laughed at her starstruck friend, "Come on, the bell will be ringing any second for class. What do we have now? French or Drama?" It was a while since she was at school.

Eri thought for a moment, "Drama. They switched everything around for some crazy new school board rule. Anyways, let's go." She took Kagome's hand and began to pull her in the direction of the theatre. Just seconds after, the bell for school to begin rang through the halls. Kagome couldn't think of anything else, anyone else but Inuyasha. _I wonder what he is going right now?_

X.x.X.x.X.x.X

"Your out of your fucking mind!" he hollared.

Sango gasped at his language, "Inuyasha! Shippo is still here you know." Her long finger pointed to the small fox sitting by the tree.

"I don't think he cares about that right now, Sango." a small whisper was passed from Miroku's ear to Sango's, as they watched Inuyasha in silence.

Inuyasha's eye rolled to the back of his head. He sighed in frustration, shaking his head back and forth. "Please tell me your not serious! Tell me your joking, say that this was a prank, a payback. ANYTHING! Please Myouga." His gaze was on the little flea, sitting in the plam of his future 'wife'.

Myouga nodded in head, "Master Inuyasha," he began. "-your father and Paige's father were the greatest of friends. And before you were both born, they said that you both should be married. When your father, Inuyasha, died in battle Paige's father was going to carry on the marriage. You two are destined to be together." He smiled.

Paige giggled a little, and then turned her head to Inuyasha. "What, you rather have Kagome instead of me?" Her fingers twisted into her hair as she turned a strand of her curly red locks.

Inuyasha glared at her, "How do you know about Kagome?" His eyebrows turning together. A low growl, from the bottom of his throat, escaped his lips.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't growl at me! I know everything about you and Kagome."

She smiled, not sweet and innocent but evil and wicked. "I know that she looks like Kikyo: the former love of your life. Only, Kagome is much more beautiful. She undid you from the spell on the Sacred Tree and than broke the Sacred Jewel, and now you guys travel together. Collecting jewel shards, fighting demons and falling for each other. I have heard that Koga, I know you know him, loves Kagome, too. Your jealous of him because he can give Kagome everything you can't." She stopped.

Inuyasha's blood began to boil. His eyes narrowed, "And what is that?" Not knowing what the answer would be_. I am starting to question her, maybe she is different after all._

Paige giggled. Her gaze fell upon the water. Not looking at him, she answered. "Truth and honesty. Loyalty and support. Safety and comfort. And most of all love."

Inuyasha's jaw clenched. His hands turned to fists at his sides, his face turning a tomato red. "You don't know anything," his voice was cold and stern. "You have no idea what goes on between me and Kagome."

She rolled her eyes. "Who doesn't?" her smile widdened. "Oh you mean the Kikyo part, right? You leave Kagome every time you see or hear of Kikyo. Take off running after her to get her back, even though Kagome is already right there with you. Heart breaking, really." Her smiled faded.

You could hear Inuyasha's teeth clenching together. Paige's gaze turned from the water back to Inuyasha. "But does it matter now," she shrugged. "-she is gone, and I am here. Your meant to be with me, and not with Kagome." She giggled to herself. "What were you going to do, marry _her_?"

Inuyasha fell silent. His face drained of emotions, as he hand throbbed again. Paige shook her head. "Pity," she said. "Kagome not being here. I guess she had more important things on her mind, huh?" Her automatic smile, turned to a frown as she walked over to Inuyasha. She hands moving around his waist, and pulling him closer to her.

She bit her lip as her emerald green eyes melting Inuyasha instantly. His knees buckling at the sudden pressure. What was it about this women, who Inuyasha knew he never even met, that fasinated him so much? "Paige," he started, but could not finish. HIs voice was but a meer whisper in the rustling of the leaves.

She smiled at him, the wind blowing her hair around her face, as she placed a finger on his lips. "Why not straighten things out with Myouga, about the whole 'curse' thingy, and then tend to me?" Her tongue tracing her lips. A slight whine came from Miroku, but was silenced when Sango glared at him.

Inuyasha didn't know who to explain it, but it was like she was controling him. Like as soon as she looked in to his eyes, he had to obey her; he _wanted_ to. "Alright," was all he could manage to say. As he was let go of her grasp and floated over to Myouga and Miroku to begin his first lesson.

**A****/N** - I know it kinda is retarded like "WHAT THE HELL IS SHE DOING???!!!" kinda retarded, but don't worry.. it will all make sense soon, I hope! *Fingers crossed* Anyways, review what you thought and I will update my other stories soon too!


	7. The New Guy

**February 15/ 09 4:53PM -** I updated! Sorry, but this past month has been very busy with exams and final mid-term marks and then the Coal Bowl, a big basketball tournment at my school, it was almost near impossible to update anything! But, since this story is one of my favorite that I wrote so far in my career, only 3 years, I wanted to update this one first. I will also be updating BBTT, Blood Behind The Tears, either today also or in the next few days. Once again, thank you for waiting such a long time for me to update, and I hope you like this chapter!

**Chapter 7, The New Guy**

It was very noisy in Drama class, everyone asking Kagome where she was and how long she would be staying at the school this time. There was also alot of gossip between the girls, wondering when Shay would get there, which classes he would be in, and which girl he would like. Kagome, who never opened her mouth on the subject, thought that he was an egotistical jerk, whose soul purpose in life is to make young teenage girls fall for him with his amazing vocal abilities. Even though Kagome had a huge crush on him since she was 12, she still thought he could be more of an artist, and less of a jerk. But, she would never say that to the girls, they would rip her head off for even thinking that about him.

Kagome was sitting in the front of the theatre, her legs crossed over each other and her backpack accompanying the seat beside her. Her binder lying on her legs, as she doodled on a blank piece of paper. She could hear girls giggling behind her, still talking about _Shay_. Kagome could only roll her eyes as the them, Shay wasn't **that** great. Kagome could hear her phone vibrating in the front pouch of her backpack, her opened her bag and pulled out her cell and opened it up. It was a text message from Hawk, _"What are you doing? How is your first day back to school going? Wanna meet for lunch?"_

Kagome did not reply. She deleted the message, slid her phone back in her backpack, and closed up the pouch. Just when she was finished putting her phone away, the back door to the theatre opened and their Drama teacher was walking down the middle isle with a student. The student had jet black hair, tanned skin and, and to Kagome, it looked like he had golden eyes. _That's not possible_. Kagome shook her head and turned around to face the stage where the teacher, Mrs. Kaihsa, and the student stood. Kagome raised an eyebrow, as she heard all of the girls sigh. Kagome laughed, as she stared at Shay standing on the stage.

Mrs. Kaihsa cleared her throat, there were a stack of papers in her hand that looked like a new attempt of a play, as she smiled to us. "Class," she stated. "I hope you had a lovely and safe weekend. And, I am glad to introduce you to our new student here at Shikon High, Mr. Shay Aarons." All of the girls stood up and began clapping, and screaming for him. He waved to them all, but eyed Kagome for about a minute. She was the only one that didn't clap or even look up when the teacher said his name, this made him think.

Shay stepped forward and looked around the theatre at all of the girls. "Good morning," his voice sang. "I'm Jackson Aarons, but most of you know me as Shay." The girls giggled, Kagome just sighed.

He smiled. "I am very lucky to be surrounded by such great fans, and I hope you all are as nice as I think you are. I didn't chose this school for nothing, you know."

He glanced over at Kagome, she still wasn't paying attention to him. "I hope I will be friends with each and every one of you, thank you." Every one stood up and clapped as he made his way off the stage.

The girls were waving him over to sit with them, and screaming his name over and over. Kagome was starting to get a headache, _the first day I'm back and a star has to be here, just my luck!_ Kagome glanced over at him from the corner of her eye, and saw Shay looking over at her. he began walking over in her direction. Kagome took a deep breath and shoved her head into her book she was reading to pass the time. She could hear the steps getting closer, she saw them walk infront of her and then stop on her left side. She could see a slight image sitting next to her.

Kagome brought her head up to meet his eyes. His eyes were like two pools of swirling gold, that you could drown in. He gave her a small grin, and stuck out his hand. "Hello," was all he said to her.

Kagome nodded to him, but didn't take his hand. "Hi." She gave a quick smile and went back to her book.

He laughed, as his eyes went wide with shock. "Wow," he commented. "Your the first girl at this school who hasn't sighed or giggled at me." He paused for a moment, Kagome shrugged her shoulders in between his two statments. "Why?"

_What is with him? He thinks he is the greatest and that everyone should love him. _Kagome raised her head, putting her binder and book into her backpack, and then turned to look at him. "I don't care if you are the most famous guy in the world, and that you sing like an angel and you have a mansion bigger then this school. You are an egotistical jerk who thinks everything and anything revolves around you. You think that girls have to giggle and sigh when ever you walk into a room, but they shouldn't," she rolled her eyes. "-because your not worth it."

Jackson's eyes widened as he nodded to her. Seconds past, and Kagome was beginning to get a little uneasy at the fact of him staring at her. Finally, he spoked. "You know your right," he agreed. "-but I enjoy the fact that your not starstruck by me, it's nice."

Kagome giggled at him, but stopped when she figured out what she was doing. He laughed at her, "What is your name?"

She remembered that he stuck out his hand to her. "Kagome," she stuck out her hand for his. "Nice to meet you."

Jackson took her hand and shook it. Kagome's skin felt like it was on fire, and the redness in her cheeks suddenly appeared. She let go of his hand, and then sighed. "What class do you have next?"

His shoved his hand into his side pocket and ripped out a piece of yellow paper, he scanned it quickly. "French."

Kagome's eyes widened, nodding her head. "Wow, I have French next to. Walk with me to class?" A grin appeared on Kagome's face, as she saw the joy in Jackson's face of the thought of having a friend in his classes.

The joy faded when he raised his eyebrow, "I thought I was quote; 'An egotisical jerk who thinks everything and anything revolves around him.'" He chuckled.

Kagome sighed, "Well, you were my dream guy when I was thirteen. I use to dream that you would come to my school and sweep me off my feet, but I always knew it wasn't going to happen." She shrugged.

Jackson, or Shay, whatever you wanted to call him, seemed very flattered. "Did I sweep you off your feet?" Kagome glanced at him, his golden eyes looking formilor. Kagome felt an ache in your chest for a split second, remembering _his_ eyes.

Kagome narrowed her own at him, "Why are your eyes gold?" She saw his jaw clench, his chuckled beginning to turn white.

His jaw unclenched and turned into an uneasy smile, "My contacts, they sometimes look golden, sometimes red," he chuckled, but Kagome could see it was fake. "-they do that alot."

Kagome nodded slowly. _I think he knows something I don't, but what and how? Might as well keep him close, until I can talk to Inuyasha after school._ "So, walk to class?" She flashed a smile.

He raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "I'd love to." Kagome nodded at him, as she looked to the front of the room as Mrs. Kaihsa took the stage and began to tell about the up coming play they were going to be marked on. Kagome could only think about Shay, well Jackson. He was completely annoying yet completely wonderful at the exact same time. Kagome felt like there was more to his smile, though. That he was hiding something, _but what?_

A/N - The next chapter will be way longer and way better, I just had to introduce him into the story first. Chapter 8 will be all about Inuaysha and starting training. Also, him and his physco 'future wife' getting to know each other. 3


	8. Time of Jikar

**Training His Destiny**

**Chapter 8: Time of Jikar**

_I made a lot of mistakes in my life, and loving you wasn't one of them. -Inuyasha_

_This is stupid_, he thought, _this girl is something different. Not normal, but I don't know how or why. Something about her intrigues me, fascinates me. Her eyes peer deep into my soul, as if she knows me as well as she says._

Inuyasha was sitting with Miroku and Myouga, they were disguising the conditions of Inuyasha's Time of Jikar, but he wasn't paying that much attention. His eyes kept pulling toward the trees past the lake and back at camp, where Paige was laying on a blanket. Sleeping. Inuyasha couldn't do anything but smile, and then heard Myouga. "Master Inuyasha?"

His head spun around, turning his playful smile into a serious line on his lips. "Alright, enough sugar coating this whole thing. Tell me about this Time of Jikar. Everything, from how it started and when right up to me and why a,-" he paused, having difficulty with the word. "-half demon, would have to go through it."

They were all sitting on a small stone bridge, that came over the crystal clear water where Sango and Shippo were swimming again. Shippo through a something to Sango, a rock, and Sango placed it into a bag they had ashore with, probably, a million rocks so far.

Miroku cleared his through. "Time of Jikar is the most famous, and legendary task a demon has to go through in their life. It shows their skills and ability to compile all of their training together in only a few weeks. That, in many cases, is what it tasks to become a great fighter."

Inuyasha was trying to take all of that in, still thinking about the strange girl and the girl he knew that wasn't here with him. He felt nervous, his palms were full of sweat and his hands were shaking. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and his mind was racing through every battle he was in.

Myouga then took control of the conversation, filling Inuyasha in with the story of Jikar. "Inuyasha, in a demon's life he was taught to do one thing, and one thing only." He sighed, pulling together the story that was in his mind, into words. "To live forever. Jikar never had forever to live, but he lived as if he would never see tomorrow..."

* * *

_Swords clashed as the ring rippled through ears, the thunder roared over the bloodshed field, and the lightening crackled amongst dead bodies; once living soldiers and great fighters. The wind nipped through the torn clothing, chilling each of them to the bone. The sky was filled with smoke, and dark clouds, the rain was not far from coming. So, he waited._

_Waited until the wind was so high, that it could carry him off to safety. Waited until the thunder got so loud, that he would not be able to hear himself think. Waited to hear the final clash of the swords, to know that it was all over. He waited, but it never came. The clouds opened up and the heaven's tears poured onto the land._

_"Madness," he protested. His arms numb from blood lose, his legs ready to buckle under the weight of his own body. "Sheer madness, to witness this sin. To have to watch as innocent lives are taken. Even yours," his eyes were set on the ground, where a young girl laid; nearly dead. Her blood stained his hands, as he had tried to save her but it was hopeless._

_Her eyes stared at his face, bruised and bloody, her own filled up with tears at the thought of leaving him alone. "I can't leave you... not here... not now." Her voice was only a small whisper in the hurricane of noises around them. Kneeling down, he took her hand in his, squeezing it tightly._

_His lips pressed down on her tiny fingers, her skin was cold on his lips. He smiled to her, trying to comfort her. "You'll never leave me. I'll always love you, until the very end of forever." His lips brushed across her forehead, as tears escaped from her eyes; running down her face, they landed on the ground silently._

_Her smile went wider, and her eyes spilled over with tears. "Stay alive," she whispered, her voice began to crack. "Goodbye." She let go of his hand, placing it on her stomach. Her eyes slowly began to close, as he whispered into her ear. "I'll be with you soon," and then she slowly slipped away from him, from earth, and from the world._

_He stood, leaving her behind, he began walking to the cause of his mates death. All of the nightmares, and the stories of losing your one and only had finally come true. Through all of his training, he only let her in, only needed her with him. He lived for her, and only her, he needed that special part of him to live. But with her gone, _now_, he thought,_ I have nothing to live for_._

* * *

"What happened to him?" Inuyasha was so involved in the story he forgot that it was only a story. Myouga shook his head at him.

Miroku cleared his throat after listening to the long story, "Well," he stated. Inuyasha's head spun in Miroku's direction. "He went against the most powerful demon of that century, and now every year another demon is pulled into the murderous circle."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, he looked to his left and saw Paige pulling her top off and laid on a towel. He shook his head, and then continued on, "Then why am I? I'm not a full-fledged demon," he spat the last few words out.

"Because your father was the greatest of them all, his power runs in your viens. That is why you have been choosen." Myouga spoke with pride for his master, Miroku coughed.

"Umm.." Miroku stated, looking at the ground, "I would have to recall that there was a time where Inu-Tashu wasn't the greatest of all. Right, Myouga?" Miroku took a cup of tea from the ground, and began to pour water into it.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, shocked at the very thought. His head flashed to Myouga, still sitting next to him on a small pebble, "Is this true? Was there someone even more powerful then my father?"

Myouga sighed, his little hands interwinded with the other. Nodding her head, he looked up at his master, "You do need to know that your father was the greatest of _his_ time. But, like all great legends, there was someone before him. Someone even more powerful, and that is why I'm scared for you, Master Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's ears twitched, his eyes moved to the corner of his eye to look at Sango and Shippo getting out of the water. Shippo ran over to the fire, while Sango wrapped a towl around herself. She looked over at Inuyasha, and he had to pull away from her glance. Her eyes were filled with pure worry, and sadness. Looking into the fire, he imagined the image he saw only the day before. Kikyo and Kagome, fighting within the flames. And it made him wonder even more, "Who was it? Who was stronger then my father?"

Miroku cleared his throat as shook his head, "Your on your own with this one, Myouga!"

Inuyasha sensed the sarcasim in his voice, which couldn't be good. Inuyasha was thinking about everything but the actual 'curse'. He didn't know what to do with Kagome, didn't know what to do with the whole thing with Paige. Was she really his future wife? At first he didn't want to marry her, but those eyes.... Something about her eyes _hypnotized_ him, but the beautiful melody of Kagome's voice warmed his heart even on the coldest of days. How could he get her to stay with him?

Myouga silenced those nagging thoughts in Inuyasha's head when he continued, "Naraku's father." With only those two words, Myouga had managed to send a spine tingling shiver down Inuyasha's back, something that could never be done. He could already feel the icy fingers of death approaching him.

Inuyasha swallowed hard, a lump was stuck in her throat and he could feel his heart sink into his stomach, "So, what your saying... is that, if Naraku's father was stronger than mine then he will be stronger then me, right?" Biting his lip, he prayed that he was wrong. For once in his life, he wished that Myouga would tell him he was wrong, and know it was true.

But Myouga didn't tell him he was wrong, instead he nodded his pea-sized head slowly, "Yes. Yes it does. And, I am almost certain, that he will be your last obstacle."

Inuyasha's head sank. Knowing that you would die wasn't the best feeling he had in his life, but it was better then the night before. He thought about it, wondering how it would feel to finally fall at the hands of Narkau. Inuyasha laughed, "Ironic, huh? I said I wanted to kill him a thousand times over and now he will be the one to kill me. What a great way to go!" He tried to hide the fact that he was scared through his sarcasim, but his heart ached to be near Kagome now.

Myouga sighed, jumping up to his feet he argued, "Master Inuyasha! You can not give up hope. You still have five obstacles before him, you may get better and be able to defeat him." His little arms flapped into the wind as he jumped up and down on the tiny pebbles.

Miroku nodded, agreeing to what the tiny flea was saying, "He is right, Inuyasha. All you have to do is train, we can help you in the fights and everything if you need it! Don't give us when you didn't even start yet." Miroku stood up, too. Encouraging his friend, he smiled down at him.

Inuyasha looked up at Miroku, then looked down at the jumping flea and rolled his eyes, "I guess I have no choose in this, anyways. But what about Kagome? What am I going to do about her? I can't talk to her about everything and train all at the same time!"

Myouga shook his head, jumped up onto Mirkou's shoulder he looked down at Inuyasha, "Master, you are already strong enough to with stand the first three, after that you will just have to practice a few moves. But with Naraku, you will have to focus fully on him. Nothing else, not even her."

Almost on que, Paige was over by them and standing beside Inuyasha, looking down at him. "So, how was the talk? Everything straightened out, now?" She smiled, as Inuyasha got up from his feet and greeted her.

He nodded his head, smiling. "Yeah, we're all done. I just got to go and do a few things, that's all."

Paige raised her eyebrow, narrowing her eyes at him. A slight breeze brushed through her hair, "Are you going to see Kagome?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock, but then were set back to normal size. Nodding his head he watched the ground, "She needs to know about this, Paige. I need her here with me, if not, I won't be able to go through this."

She rolled her eyes, biting her lip she moved into him. "Come on, you don't have to go to her right now. Stay with me, and get more... comfortable with us."

Inuyasha couldn't help it again, he got lost in those emerald eyes. His body was numb, and his legs felt like they would buckle at any second. Looking away from her eyes, he shook her head. "No, I'm going. I'll be back later on." He pushed himself through, running away from camp into the deeper part of the woods. Towards to well.

********

**A/N-** Hehe, another update! I am soooo proud of myself. Now, this would have been up before but I had exams, and my mom wouldnt let me on the computer. But, I got it up for you guys. Hope you like it, R&R. Wait til you read the next chapter, your gonna F.R.E.A.K!!!


	9. Decipher The Note

**Training His Destiny**

**Chapter 9**

Kagome's entire day was filled with questions. From the popular 'how are you?' to the something annoying one from teachers, 'where have you been?' But other than the annoying questions, the tens of thousand pounds of homework and catching up to do, and even the squeak of her locker door, she finally was happy she was back. But she couldn't stop thinking about Inuyasha, no matter how much she tried. Something about the entire Time of Jikar just didn't seem right to her.

It was just after lunch and Kagome was walking to her next class, Geography. She slipped into the classroom without she teacher noticing her yet, it bought her a few minutes to think of an excuse of why she wasn't here lately. As she rummaged through his yellow backpack, she heard footsteps walking up behind her and saw Jackson coming into full view. Kagome sighed.

She pulled out her books and a pencil, placing them on her desk. Jackson took a seat behind her, "Hello again."

Kagome almost snapped her pencil in half. His voice sounded like the ill silence of death, his breath was cold on her neck, and his smile was almost like a jokers grin, ready to prey on his innocent victims. Kagome rolled her eyes, and sighed nonchalantly before turning around to face him, "Hi." she spoke slow and venomous. She eyes stuck in him like daggers.

His eyes widened in surprise, as he opened his binder and began flipping through the blank pages to find a fresh start. But as he flipped through them, Kagome watched from the corner of her eye and noticed that there was nothing written on them, except small words on one page, that he turned more quickly than the others before it. Kagome raised an eye brow, starring at him. He sensed her there, and turned to face her once more. His eyes were more golden than before, and Kagome felt a sharp sting in her heart, as she pulled her own eyes from his view and looked at the teacher.

As the teacher went on about climate and weather, Kagome sat there looking straight ahead, not wanting to look or even sense Jackson's presence. He would rock back and forth in his chair, and then start tapping his pencil on his desk in a rhythmic motion. It was irritating. Kagome just eyed the board and wrote certain points down when she felt needed to. The class was about half way through when Kagome heard a slide of a chair and a squeak escape the legs of the four legged seat.

Jackson walked up to the teacher and spoke softly, "May I use the washroom?" his voice sounded almost like velvet, so soft and an beautiful to the touch, it was like he could control someone just by talking and looking into their eyes. Kagome stiffened, afraid the teacher may say no at first, but the teacher smiled and she nodded once to let him go. Kagome didn't understand, the teacher never let anyone go to the bathroom during class, so unless he did have control over people or they just wanted to give him what he wanted -which did not seem fair at all.

When the door slammed behind him, the teacher turned to face the class. "Students, I'll be right back. I just have to go do some ...extra work." She bit her bottom lip and hurried out the door after Jackson. Kagome wondered what was going to happen. The moment the teacher left, everyone started talking and whispering, and texting each other when they were only a foot away.

Kagome leaned back in her seat, and thought about how Inuyasha must be doing, about how much she missed him, and how he need her there. She felt that if he did not concure the Time of Jikar, she had failed him. With all of her heart and soul she wanted to leave the classroom and go back to him, but every part of her being knew she couldn't and that it was best for both of them if she stayed there. As she sat there, tapping his nails from pinky to thumb on the desk, she caught attention of Jackson's notebook.

"Hmmm," she moaned, as she looked around to see if anyone was watching her. She was in the back so no one was near her, as she reached out to grab his notebook. She pulled it over to her, and started to flip through the pages. With every plan white page that followed the next, she wondered if she had imagined the writing on the paper, until she came across it. It was a note to him from someone named Paige, it was hard to make out; it was ripped and tattered, and looked very old, and the ink was nearly faded.

Kagome ripped it out of his binder and placed the square book back onto his desk. Kagome glanced down at the words scribbled in beautiful writing over the piece of paper. Kagome tried to make it out, but she only got the first few words, _This must be done before they notice_, when Jackson and the teacher came back. Jackson opened the door for her, and she walked in, with a strange smile on her face. Jackson walked back to his desk and sat down beside Kagome, and whispered, "You want to be next?" he winked and bit his bottom lip, looking her up and down.

She turned to face him, looking into his eyes and moaning. "I'm sorry," she answered. "I don't sleep with creeps." Kagome turned back around in her desk, picked up her pencil and continued copying from the board. Jackson laughed under her breath, and leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "To bad," he replied. "You couldn't handle me anyways." Kagome rolled her eyes and ignored him.

When class ended, Kagome had English and would be ride of Jackson and his perverted mind. The bell rang through the school, as everyone got up and started to pack their things into their back packs. Kagome through everything in and raced for the door, wanting to be as far away from Jackson as she could possibly get in ten seconds. She left the class and ran down the stairs to English, diving into the classroom and picking a seat near the back of the row of twos.

As her English class started, Kagome pulled out the note and tried to decipher what this girl had written to Jackson. It was written in some broken Chinese, and with the faded parts it was hard to understand. Kagome knew that whatever this guy was and the reason why he was here was locked away in the words of this note, but to unlock them, Kagome didn't think she wanted to find out why. She was almost done writing down the translated words, every letter coming into place and when she was finally done, she read it over. She gasped, holding her hand to her mouth, looking at the note.

_Feng, _

_This must be done before they notice, with them apart and the Time of Jikar upon us, this is the perfect opportunityto strike. With Kagome out of the way, and Inuyasha's heart vulnerable, it is the perfect time to get ride of them. I'll seduce Inuyasha and make him fall in love with me, while you take care of Kagome. Kill her, control her, or sleep with her, anything you feel necessary to do this. The time is coming and we have to be ready, unless you want to end up like the rest of the people for the Time of Jikar; I won't let this win, I won't lose you. Not for this. I'll go into the well, and you enroll yourself in school, and we will take them down together. And with Kagome dead, and Inuyasha's heart broken, he will lose his Time of Jikar and join her in the after life. _

_Be safe, be careful, and be quick.  
I love you,  
Paige_

Kagome's eyes went blurry with anger, her breathing became harder and her mind was going crazy. _They cant do this, they wont do this, if they want me and Inuyasha dead then they better be ready for us to fight back. _Kagome shoved everything back into her pack back, and folded the note and slipped it into her pocket. Raising her hand, she smiled at the teacher and asked, "May I call home, I'm not feeling well." The teacher nodded her head and Kagome got up and ran for the door, wanting to get home, pack, and get to the Feudal Era as soon as possible.

* * *

By the time Kagome had gotten home, it was a little bit after one o'clock. She rushed through the house trying to pack everything that she might need in the Feudal Era, she didn't know what to expect, whether everyone battling for their lives or sitting around a camp fire, waiting for Shippo to come and eat lunch. She didn't have time to think, she ran up and down the stairs, packing her clothes, food, medicine, and anything else she thought they would need in case of a fight or anyone got hurt.

She mother was at work so she wrote her a quick note, and tapped it to the fridge. Kagome through her back pack over by the door, she quickly ran up stairs and into her room, she looked around to see if there was anything she was forgetting. Out of the corner of her eye she saw something sparkle in the sun, she turned and saw it was the necklace Inuyasha had made her, with small diamond like rocks. She grabbed it, folding it and pulling it onto her wrist. She walked over to her closet and grabbed a sweater out of it, and then stopped.

She heard the door open, knowing her brother was at school and her mom at work, she frozed. Who could be at her house? She looked around her room, and saw nothing to use in defense, she creaked out of her room and into her brother's, looking around. She saw a baseball bat in the corner and ran to get it. She heard someone shoot her name, in a sinister voice, as she walked out of her brothers room and down the stairs, she looked to see if anyone was there.

When she got to the bottom the stairs she walked straight to the door and looked outside, no one was there. She locked the door and turned around. She screamed when she saw Jackson standing there, smiling. "Ugh, you almost gave me a heart attack!" She flipped, and then she remembered the note, she again froze, worried he knew what she did.

"How come you left school?" he asked, looking her up and down. He noticed her back pack by the door more clearly now, and tilted his head to the side, "Where are you going?"

Kagome crossed her arms leaning to one side, "I don't have to answer to you." She rolled her eyes, and sighed. She looked him up and down, stopping at his belt, and thought of what the note had said. _Maybe I could change his mind_, she thought. She looked him in the eyes, and blinked her eyelashes, closing the space between them. She pulled her arms around his neck. "So, does your offer still stand?" She bit her bottom lip, jumping up and holding onto his waist with her legs. She leaned down and quickly kissed him, biting his lip as she moved away.

He smiled at her wrapped his arms under her, holding her in place. "For you, it is."

* * *

**A/N - **Yet another chapter, hehe! ^^ its actually starting to get good now, ;). I hope you all like this chapter, and I'm sorry for the delay. -LoversKagXInu


	10. Glass Eye

**Training His Destiny**

**Chapter 10; Glass Eyes**

_Her eyes burned into my soul, my very own heart_

_They are like two black holes of death;_

_Waiting to pray on their next victim._

_But I can't help with think, _

_Are you what I really want, or just reminding me of the one I_

_**N E E D**._

_-Inuyasha_

Sick.

Sick was the perfect word to describe how Kagome felt then, and in that very moment.

Disgusting, impure, and stupid. All of the things she never wanted to be, and that she was in a matter of a few seconds when she let him over power her, and take what he wanted. For whatever reason why she tried and seduced him, she will never know; maybe because she felt it was her right, no duty, to save Inuyasha and do everything in her power to help him, even if she had to sleep with a creep like Jackson. All she could do was hold onto her silk covers, and wait as he laid over her. After every few movements, she pretended to moan and scream out his name. Some were real, sadly.

But after it was finally over, he left. After quickly as he came to her house, he was done, dressed and out the front door in the same amount of time. When she was finally alone, she laid on her bed with the sheets covering; starring at the ceiling, as the fan turned counter-clock wise around the room, sending air in every which way. Kagome could feel as if he was still with her, breathing over her, and she despised any thoughts she had conjured about him.

Her entire body felt like a waste dump, filled with bacteria and dirt. She could feel the insides of her body wanting to puke itself up from the feeling of him near her. She recalled the look in his eyes, that glossy almost glass like eyes. They were so still and mesmerizing, that she could feel them almost pulling at her soul in pain. Could something so God like and magical, be twisted and demented all at the same time. Kagome hated the way she felt, and hated what she just went through.

The act alone felt great, in a split moment she felt good in the sensation, but she also felt horrible because of the one person she was betraying in the process; even if she only did that to save his life. Through everything he did to her with Kikyo, and had left her for Kikyo, every time Kagome had always asked him why he would pick Kikyo over her, and said so many times that she loved him more than Kikyo did, and now to let someone else to take everything that she tried to get from Inuyasha away in one moment.

Kagome didn't know what to do; she didn't have to go back to school because she went home sick, and her mother wouldn't be home for a little bit. She couldn't believe what she was about to do, after everything that had happened between her and Jackson in the last hour, Kagome knew what she felt and where she had to be. The Feudal Era. She had to be there, talk to the one person who she knew would listen, and see the one she had not seen in a few days now. She had to see Inuyasha, and tell him that she needed him.

She forced herself to get out of bed, grabbing her jeans that were tossed to the side before, she slide back into them; buttoning and zipping it up before looking around for her top. Seeing it in the corner, she pulled it up over her head and straightened it out. She also quickly looked through her sweaters to pick out a nice one to wear, she felt exposed and naked; she didn't want to feel uncomfortable when she would probably spend the night in the Feudal Era that night. And as she picked a sweater off the hook, a thought came across her mind.

Would Inuyasha still be alright?

She debated about it in her head for a minute before deciding on a proper and realistic answer; Inuyasha is and forever will be immortal, nothing good or bad can harm him when Kagome is around, she gave him the strength, courage, and determination for him to survive anything that is thrown his way. _But_, she realized one last thing, _every time I am not there.. Inuyasha always got hurt or badly injured_, and she didn't want to see him suffer again, or anymore. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she left him and he had gotten injured because she wasn't there.

She tried to press that thought out of her mind and concentrate on something else, something that didn't involve him or anything about him. But she couldn't. As she was rushing down her stairs to the front door, she realized that everything that she went through was for him. Every battle she ever fought it beside him, every scar and scrap she received from swords, nails, and injuries, every heart broken memory of him running off with Kikyo, but always coming back to her. Everything that she had ever experienced within the Feudal Era, had all been the answer to her problems and desires.

The front door slammed shut behind her as she pulled the door open, and let it swing back into the hing, almost ripping it apart. Her sore legs made their way from a slight walk to a brisk sprint as she travelled across the dirt path to the shrine. She huffed and puffed as she tried to catch her breath, but she didn't spot. She grabbed the door and pulled the doors to the side, as she walked in and starred at the well. She rolled her eyes and sighed at the felt of comfort she got when she finally saw the old square sitting there in the middle of the room. She started a run to it, and jumped over the side into the dark light.

* * *

Inuyasha was laying by the lake, with his kimono undone to reveal his bare chest, and he had his arms behind his head; almost asleep in that spot. His ears twitched at the sudden sound of a branch cracking, but he tried to ignore it. He moved about in his position trying to get comfortable, and then another branch snapped. Inuyasha opened one of his eyes to be blinded by the bright sun, he flinched and covered his eyes, as he heard a girl laughing behind him. He perked his head up and saw Paige standing there with a bathing suit on.

"Where did you get that?" Inuyasha questioned. He almost blushed at the thought, since it was the one Kagome always use to wear when she went swimming. He didn't like the idea of Paige technically _replacing_ Kagome, or the fact of her being here at all. She was someone Inuyasha didn't know or like and he wanted her to go back where she came from.

She smiled at him, as she walked towards the water and passed him, running her arm down his leg when she walked by. Inuyasha eased away from her touch as she stopped in front of the water, dipping her toes into the water to test how cold it was. She shivered at first and then slowly walked in. She looked back at him, "Aren't you coming in?"

Inuyasha shook his head, and sat back down in his spot. "I'd rather not." He recalled a few times when he would drag Kagome into the freezing cold water, and how much fun he had with her back in those days; he didn't want to have a memory like that with Paige.

She sighed, "Well then." She mumbled as she picked up a big scoop of water and through it on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha jumped up in shock and the freezing temperature of the water that touched his bare chest. He jumped in place from the cold and then finally calmed down, as he saw Paige bending over holding her stomach in laughter.

Inuyasha raised as eyebrow, "You think that's funny?" He questioned as he took of the rest of his shirt, leaving his shorts and darted into the water after her. Paige quickly took a deep breath and dove under the water to try to get away from him but he was too fast. He had caught up to her and was holding her in one spot within a few seconds. She begged him to let her go and he just picked her up and through her back into the water.

Her head broke the surface as she screamed out his name in fury. Inuyasha laughed and began to swam away from her as she slowly followed him. She eyes trying to seem dangerous and evil, but Inuyasha wasn't afraid at all. After a few minutes of chasing each other, they finally stopped and began to float above the water. Listening to the sound of the water running down the stream, they watched the sky.

Inuyasha could have fallen asleep if Paige wasn't there to talk to him.

"So," she saids, breaking the silence. Inuyasha moved from laying on his back in the water to standing on a few soft rocks at the bottom of the waters floor, Paige raised an eyebrow in interest when she could still see his chest perfectly through the clear and calm water. "-what is she like?"

Inuyasha flinched. He gave her a questioned looked, not knowing who she meant. She had known all about Kikyo, and only knew a few things about Kagome and their relationship. "Who?" he narrowed his golden eyes at her, and she smiled.

She shook her head, sighing. "You know who." she pressed on, trying to seem flirtaious. "Kagome, what is she like?" Paige rested upon the water, flicking little droplets here and there on her tanning skin.

Inuyasha was thrown back by the question, for a moment he thought that Paige actually had a heart. He took a moment to answer her question, trying to put it into the right words to describe Kagome. "She is simply the most beautiful, caring, spiritual, and warm person I've ever meet. Her dark brown eyes could warm the darkest of hearts, and her cheerful laugh and smile could calm the most violent storm." Inuyasha out to the distance, and realized he had let her go.

He let like an idiot. Fool. To let someone as wonderful as Kagome flip through his fingers and let her leave him as easily as he did. He hated himself for doing that. He then cleared his throat, still focused on the horizon; wondering if Kagome would appear. "She has save me more times than I have saved her, she makes me smile, she makes me happy, and she makes me think that I can be more than who I am. She makes me feel whole."

Paige listened to his words and wondered twice about her and Jackson's plan. But she moved that jealousy out of her head and continued out, "Did you love-" she suddenly stop. "OW!" she screamed out.

Inuyasha glanced up and saw blood rising up from the water, making a circle around her. Inuyasha dashed through the water to get to Paige and picked her up with one arm, carrying her on to the land to check her injury. He laid her down where he was previously laying and tried to examine her injury.

She winced when he pressed his hand to it. "Ouch! That hurts." she moaned in pain as she grabbed hold of her foot once more.

Inuyasha rolled her eyes, trying not to seem irritated at her, "Just let me see it, I won't hurt you." he promised her, as he held out his hand. "Would you rather me look at it or Kaede?"

Paige hesitated for a moment and then slowly stuck out her foot for Inuyasha. He lightly pulled it up to his eye and looked at the cut.

It was deep, but nothing serious. He could see where something had hooked on her skin, probably a rock of a sharp end of a stick. He shrugged his shoulders and let her foot down on the grass. "Nothing major. Just a deep gash. But don't walk too much on it and it should heal by morning." he raised his eyebrow at her, "If your lucky." he winked as he teased her.

"Shut up!" She yelled, trying to put her foot in a comfortable position. She took her towel and tried to hit him with it but he grabbed it from her first.

Inuyasha sat down beside her on the blanket as she rubbed her foot, "So, what were you going to ask me before you got injured." He laughed as he glanced around him again. He had a feeling as if Kagome would be there, but he knew her too well that she wouldn't come back unless he went to get her.

Paige straightened up and cleared he throat, "Well." she mused on, trying to think of what she was going to say. "I was about to ask you did you love her?"

Inuyasha froze in spot, trying to contemplate the difference between affection and desire. He had strong feelings for Kagome, ones that surpassed even those he had for Kikyo, but could he sum it all up in to just a four letter word? Kagome was much more than that.

He sighed and then leaned back on the grass as he watched the clouds move North towards the well. "With Kagome, it's as if everything is at peace in the world. No matter what happens she is right there with me. For me. Nothing would ever make her leave." he smiled at the thought. "So, if you want to know the answer then I would say that Kagome is everything to me, more then love itself. But love sums it up quite nicely."

Paige bit the inside of her cheek as she tapped her fingers on her bare skin, "Oh really?" Well, what shall you do now? Considering you are set to marry me."

Inuyasha laughed at her, "Paige," he started as he stood up and looked at her. She pushed her red hair behind her shoulders, and leaned backwards a bit, on an angle in the sun's direct light path. "-not that you aren't wonderful, Kagome is the one for me. You aren't."

He quickly stood up and turned around as he walked back in to the water and disappeared under neath it. Once he was submerged, Paige rolled her eyes as she thought of a way to make him change his mind. "Well, I tried to control him and that didn't work,-" she was cut off as she saw Kagome coming towards the village in the distance. _If I can't make him forget her, I'll just make her hate him_.

**x.X.x**

**A/N-** I know what you guys are thinking and I am starting to hate Paige too, and I made her. Lol, but trust me it gets good from here. Had to leave this one on a cliffy cause it wouldn't be right if I told you EVERYTHING that was going to happen; it simply wouldn't be right. Anyways, thank you for the reviews and hope you guys like this chapter. :) R&R


	11. The First Demon

**Chapter 11; The First Demon**

_-Why, may one ask?_

_-I dream'd a dream to-night._

_-And so did I._

_-Well, what was yours?_

_-That dreamers often lie._

_Romeo & Juliet_

**PC:** He quickly stood up and turned around as he walked back in to the water and disappeared under neath it. Once he was submerged, Paige rolled her eyes as she thought of a way to make him change his mind. "Well, I tried to control him and that didn't work,-" she was cut off as she saw Kagome coming towards the village in the distance. _If I can't make him forget her, I'll just make her hate him_.

* * *

Inuyasha floated back up to the surface and when his skin cracked through the fine line of the water his blurry eyes could see Paide standing there infront of him. He wipped the water away from his face and tried to catch his breath. He looked down at her as her hands managed their way to his waist, grabbing at his shorts. "Paige, what are you doing?" He tried to get free but she pulled him closer.

Her emerald green eyes gazed up at him. "Inuyasha, you can't keep dwelling in the past." Her hands traced their way up to his shoulders, cupping them behind his neck. "Kagome said she wants nothing to do with you during this," they both looked down at his hand. She grabbed his chin and tilted it back up for him to look back in to her eyes.

"She doesn't love you, Inuyasha." her eyes made Inuyasha finally give in, and he felt as if he was swirling in circles. His hands rested on her waist and she smiled as she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. "You need to forget about her, and I can help you." she began to kiss down his neck to his chest, stopping, and doing the same to the opposite side.

His eyes shut tightly. He could feel himself slowing slipping farther away from Kagome, his mind playing tricks on him remembering so many of the conversations they had, as if there was an editing machine in his brain what was changing the words, to make him get over her. "No, I can't forget.." he faught with himself and tried to get over whatever was happening to him. He started to shake.

The feeling of his mind slowing erasing Kagome from his memory and Paige kissing him all over his body were two completely opposite feelings, and he was being over-come by both. He stopped shaking, his eyes opened and instantly he looked for Paige to return the glance, and when she did he grabbed her cheek and pulled her in for a kiss.

His hands moved their way over her body and held her against him as her legs tighten around his waist and her fingers got lost in his long white hair. He broke away to kiss down her neck, only to regain the connection a moment later.

* * *

Kagome finally made it to the hut and she walked in to see everyone sitting around eating lunch. Myouga was laying on the hut floor with a small napkin covering him like a blanket. Sango jumped up and ran to her, hugging her and almost knocking her over when they collided. "Kagome, I missed you!" Kagome laughed at her and let go of the embrace, sitting down by the fire she grabbed a piece of bread.

Shippo handed her a cup of water and he looked up at her confused. "Kagome, I thought you weren't coming back?"

Kagome took a sip of the water he gave her, set it down beside her on the floor, and cleared her throat. "Well Shippo, I came back because I have important news that will help Inuyasha with his Time Of Jikar." She sighed and took a bite of the bread.

"But," he paused, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't care about it?" He sat back down next to Sango.

Kagome smiled at him, "It's not that I don't care, it's just I don't want to see him hurt. But he needs me, so I can't leave him alone in this." She yawned and looked around the room. She wondered wheere Inuyasha was, and when she didn't see Miroku she thought that maybe they were out training for the first battle. So she didn't ask where he was.

They heard foot steps appraoching the hut and waited in silence as Miroku pushed through the bambo wood door, it swung to the side and then back to cover the opening. He seen Kagome and his face immediately lit up. "Kagome! I knew you would be back soon." He walked over and gave her a slight side hug before going over to Sango and handed her some herbs he found.

Kagome was happy to see him, but then when she seen that he was gone looking for herbs, she questioned where Inuyasha was. "Miroku, where is Inuyasha?" Her eyebrows narrowed as she asked.

Miroku laughed, shaking his head and sat down on the opposite side of Sango. "You didn't see those two outside you came here?" he giggled to himself and Sango hit him for bringing it up. He gave out a painful moan and helf his side for a moment.

"Two?" Kagome whispered back.

Miroku nodded to her, stuffing his face with bread and berries. His thumb pointing behind him, "See for yourself." He spoke with his whole mouth full of food that made it hard for them to understand him.

Kagome got up and walked over to the door, she paused for a moment; she stood infront of the door, wondering if she should go or not. She sighed and put a hand on the door as she pulling it back to look outside. At first she didn't see anything, she seen the woods and the villagers. But, when she looked by the lake, she could feel her heart snap. And she through the door opened and left on her way down to the lake.

* * *

Inuyasha was laying on a towl on his back with Paige straddling him as she kissed him, her hair falling over the side of her face and covering him, his hands rested on her waist and hers on his chest. She sat up as he watched her, her hands went behind her and slowly started to undo her bikini.

She stopped when she heard someone clear their throat.

The two of them froze and looked to see where it had came from. And then was Kagome, standing a few feet away from them. Inuyasha didn't know what to do or what to say, but he lifted Paige off of him and stood up, Kagome scanned his body before meeting his eyes. He shoke his head, "Kagome?" he whispered.

Paige grabbed a towl from the ground and slowly wrapped it around her shoulders, moving closer to Inuyasha.

Kagome didn't know what to do or what to think. How could we say all of these things to her, and say he needed her and then she had to be with him, and then turn around and do this and be with someone else. Did he not care anymore?

Did he even care at all about her? After the night that she had _for_ him, to help him, and then he is here making out with another girl. And when that thought entered Kagome's mind, she glanced over at her. Kagome's eyes narrowed as she looked at her; she was beautiful, and her fiery red hair hung off her shoulders effortlessly. Kagome cleared her throat and gestured toward Inuyasha's new 'companion'. "Who is she?"

She didn't intend to sound bitter or jealous or any combination of the two. She told him she wasn't going to help him. She said he would fail and she didn't want to be there to witness that happening. But he didn't have to go and find some one else to comfort him, he didn't have to try to love some one else or find some one to replace her.

Did he try too?

Inuyasha could feel Paige creeping up behind him, she petite and long hand raising from behind him and resting on his shoulder, she leaned forward so that she could whisper to him. "You don't owe her any explainations, Inuyasha. She's the one that said she didn't care."

Her lips meet Inuyasha's cheek and she pulled away, giving Kagome a disgusting look. Inuyasha shrugged his shoulder to get Paige's hand off him, and pulled away from her, stepping towards Kagome. Paige rolled her eyes and stood back as Inuyasha closed the distance between him and Kagome.

When he got close enough to her, Kagome raised up her hands in defense and took a step back. Inuyasha parted his lips and was about to speak, but Kagome cut him off. "No, you don't have to tell me who she is and what she is doing here," Kagome looked away from him. " I said I didn't care and that wasn't fair to you. So I understand if you moved on."

She could feel herself fighting back the tears, they tickled her eyelids and begged to escape. But she stopped them and waited to hear what Inuyasha had to say, to hear him say that she was stupid for saying what she did and that he found some one else.

But he didn't. It was complete silence.

Kagome dared herself and she looked up to see what was keeping Inuyasha from fighting back. To her surprise, he greeted her with a warm smile, his teeth sparkling in the sun. "You came back, Kagome." And without another word he pulled her in to a tight embrace. His hand immediately holding the back of her head and rubbing it softly. Her arms intertangled with his and held on to him.

Kagome pulled away from the hug. She sighed and made Inuyasha let go of any part of her he was holding on to. She motioned towards the other one. "So, should I be worried?"

Inuyasha laughed at her, and gave her a small wink. Leaning forward, he whispered: "I'll tell you all about it tonight. If you'll let me." He moved away from her and crossed his arms, flexing.

Kagome laughed and hit his arm at him trying to impress her. But she had to admit it was working on her. "Oh, You better tell what's going on." She teased and sighed with relief.

While watching the two of them, Paige crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. _This isn't what was suppose to happen, Feng was suppose to make her forget about Inuyasha, not let her come back!_ She looked over to see Inuyasha and Kagome laughing and everyone coming out of the hut to talk to them all. _I guess I'm just going to have to do this myself_.

Inuyasha's ears then twitched and he froze.

"Wait," he commanded and every one stopped. He tried to listen for what he heard again. He heard rustling in the trees, and branches cracking slightly. He slowly started to untense himself, "Must have been nothing." He laughed and then out of the woods have a black demon, growling at Inuyasha with a long sword pointed to the sky.

The demon was ugly; he stood about 10 feet tall, and had only one eye. His skin was as black as the dirt and had cracks and marks all over. His teeth were rottened in his mouth and was constantly open and being exposed to the air. He lowered his sword and narrowed it in on Inuyasha, pointing to him. "Inuyasha," he growled.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Feh," he rested his hand on Tetsaiga's shelth and took a few steps forward, turning back to gesture to Myouga, who was sitting on Miroku's shoulder. "So this is the first demon, is it?" he pulled Tetsaiga out of the shelth and it transformed in to the famous fang, as the demon waited just beyond the trees of the woods.

"This should be easy." he muttered, and then lunged for the demon's throat.


	12. A Sprinkle of Hope in His Sea of Chaos

**Chapter 12**

Darkness had covered the Feudal Era.

Small bright stars twinkled in the night sky as the finer blues and purples of the sunset were finally disappearing on the horizon. It was warm; the air was stuffy and made it hard to breath. You could hear the fire starting to crackle and snap as someone poked it to kept it going. Flames rose higher, turning from red to yellow from the bottom of the fir eto the tip.

Kagome pressed her hands closer to the fire, and when the heat became too much she pulled her hand away, pressing them against her arm and continuing when her fingers got cold again.

Sango and Shippo were busy looking through Kagome's school books that she brought back with her to help with Inuyasha and his Time of Jikar. Shippo was just looking through pictures and small descriptions but Sango was reading every little side note and bracket to learn everything about it.

Kagome heard her clear her throat and she looked up to see Sango starring at her. "It saids Inuyasha has to complete a task," Sango stated, half reading off the page and remembering. "Do you know what his task is?"

Kagome paused her a moment, but then slowly shoke her head as she gazed back in to the fire. She grabbed a stick and started to poke at the fire, turning logs and pieces of kindle upside down to cause a bigger spark as the ambers danced around the fire pit, crackling as they went. Shippo yawned as he turned around on his back, letting out a heavy sigh and pushing the book away from him.

He rubbed his eyes, turning back on to his stomach. "This stuff is so boring," he pouted as his eyes began to close over. "Why can't Inuyasha find all this out for himself?"

Kagome laughed at Shippo as she picked him up from under his arms and laid him down on the sleeping bag she had out for him. He didn't moan or complain about going to sleep, as soon as he hit the bed he curled up in to himself as Kagome put a blanket over him so he wouldn't get cold.

When he was asleep, Kagome came back to the fire and sat down.

Sango suddenly slammed the book she was reading shut and tossed it over in to the pile of books by Kagome's bag. She sat with her elbows on her knees and her hands resting on her cheeks. "Inuyasha was good today," she eased out, recalling him fighting the first demon earlier.

Kagome nodded her head and sighed lightly. "Yes, but he won't beable to survive long if he doesn't start to train," she insisted, thinking about Paige and the distractions she had probbaly caused him. "And _her_ being here probably doesn't help with his training."

She didn't hate Paige. She hated the thought of someone trying to take her place with Inuyasha, that someone would try to steal his heart and be with him. She never thought she would have any competition when it came to Inuyasha, and it worried her to know that they were so close earlier that she didn't want to leave him alone with her.

"She's not that bad," Sango broke the silence as Kagome shot her a quick glare. "Honestly."

Kagome just rolled her eyes. She felt that she was slowly losing everyone; first Inuyasha and now Sango. Inuyasha probably just went to this new girl because he was desperate, and maybe needed someone to be by his side, but she didn't know why Sango would defend her when she was in the way of Kagome and Inuyasha.

And how did she even get here? The whole situation was confusing and unrealistic, did she just show up out of no where? Did they find her? Did she find them? Kagome didn't know any of the answers and she dreaded the thought of what she would do if something were to happen and Inuyasha no longer needed her because of Paige. She would be heart broken.

Without another word, Kagome stood and started to walk out of the door.

She put a hand out to push away the door to the hut, and when she escaped in to the outside she walked right in to Inuyasha. They both groaned as they came in to contact with each other; Kagome hitting her head and Inuyasha hitting his shoulder. Kagome looked up at him while she held her head. "Inu-" she couldn't bring herself to say anything else.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "I want to tell you about all of this," he prosisted starting to walk after with her hand in his towards the woods.

* * *

Kagome did her best to keep up with Inuyasha, but him being a half demon and her being barely human she was more clumsy in the dark then she was in the light. She stumbled over roots and smashed her legs and feet off boulders, getting hit in the face with tree branches and being scraped by thorns. The moon light was dull but gave enough light so she could see Inuyasha's silver hair in front of her stop.

She pushed passed bushes and finally stood behind him, waiting for him.

"I don't love her," he stated. He spun around to meet her gaze, taking her hands in to his own once again. "She showed up out of no where when I left your house." His eyes were needy, also on the verge of self destruction, as if they would pull him under.

She didn't know how she felt about what he said; he didn't love her. What did that mean, what he loved someone but not Paige? And if he did, than who? _Kikyo_. She wondered if she would ever be a thought of his, a sprinkle of hope in his sea of chaos, even if she was merely his and his alone. She would be fine with that.

Kagome swallowed back words she knew she shouldn't repeat and relive. "You don't have to explain things to me," she spoke, turning herself away from him. She couldn't help but love him, she couldn't help but feel hurt at the thought of someone else being with him, she just cared too much to not worry or care.

"You deserve the truth, Kagome." he whispered back to her, as she looked back at him.

This time, his eyes were genuine, his eyes took hold of her and almost brought her back in; back in to always waiting for him if he ran off, to be defended by him, to be keeped by him. She couldn't go back.

Kagome couldn't bring herself to go through all of that again.

"Stop doing that!" she finally spat out at him.

He jumped back, confused at her sudden anger towards him. "What am I doing?"

She sighed, moving closer towards him, her hand reached out and pointed to his eyes. "That thing you do with your eyes. I'm not falling for it."

His eyes automatically looked left to right, up and down and then rolled around only to look her back in the eyes again. "We need to talk about what you said," he trailed off walking over to a tree nearby, whose roots stuck up out of the ground so much it made a small place to sit.

Kagome spun around on her toes, watching him as he sat down and got comfortable. "Look, I didn't mean that you aren't as good as your father," she crossed her arms, as she started to walk closer to him. "I do believe in you." she admitted, taking a sit beside him.

A laugh hitched in his throat as he looked down. "That wasn't what I was talking about," he mumbled, trying to gather what she just said and figure out where to go on from here. Was this the right time to finally have everything out in the open? The moment when everything was finally going to work out for both of them? He could feel a lump forming in his throat, trying to keep him from speaking another word, and his eyes were focused only on her.

Kagome didn't like the way this was going, she didn't want to have a huge moment with Inuyasha that could end bad; end in her leaving again or them fighting. But something about his whole presence made her wonder at the outcome of this. Maybe in time it would turn out to be that it was her that he loved, and a small piece of hope made her hold tightly on to that idea. Right now though, it was hard to work _magic_ with him after seeing him so close with someone he barely knows.

But she wanted him.

The mere thought of having him all to herself and being the only one to kiss him, hold him close, and being the only one who he whispered sweet things to and acted all playful made her want him even more.

She finally looked up at him, remembering finally where the conversation had stopped. "What were you talking about, then?" her voice almost choked out, getting nervous at the possibilities.

Inuyasha chuckled at her face, he could see that she was worried about what he was trying to say, and he himself was curious on how we would say it. It wasn't easy, putting his thoughts in to words, but he managed. Most times it had ended with him in a self-made crator, but these things take time and work to be perfected. Still, he tried to compose his thoughts and work up the best way to say it.

He placed a hand over her cheek, rubbing her soft skin with his thumb, while her head lightly leaned towards his hand, and her eyes closed over slightly. "Kagome," he spoke, and her eyes immediately fluttered open. "I'm just going to say it," he stated, and her head lifted up from his hand, looking at him as she waited to hear what he had to say.

There was a long pause, and suddenly, his lips parted and words flooded out. "I love you."

She was speechless. Her lips turned back in to a childish grin, she wrapping her arms about his neck pulling him closer to her, as she rested her head on his shoulder, she felt his arms pull around her and tightly hold her, leaning towards his ear, she whispered, "I love you, too."

Pulling back from the embrace, Inuyahsa found her lips as he kissed her. Kagome couldn't imagine a better day back, she could feel his fingers playing at the sides of her skirt just above her waist, as her fingers intangled in his long hair. She felt weightless as she slowly lowered herself under him, not parting from the kiss.

He pulled away, running small kisses down her neck to her collar bone, she through her head back as her legs wrapped around his waist, her hands finding her face and pulled him in to another kiss.

Kagome started to feel as if this had happened before, deep within her thoughts she could imagine this same situation, only with some one other than Inuyasha, a man, but she couldn't tell who it was. Then she froze. She remembered why she came to the Feudal Era in the first place. Her hands quickly moved to Inuyasha's chest, pushed him off of her, as she got up and tried to fix herself, Inuyasha stood watching her.

He cleared his throat, "Did I do something wrong?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. She heard a twig snape, and rustling of leaves around them. She grabbed his left ear and pulled him down to her. He groaned when she pulled at him, but was fine after a few seconds. She held his ear in place.

Everything started to click in to place. The new student, the new companion, the note. Everything and she knew if Inuyasha and her were going to get through this, they would have to figure out a plan.

"Listen, I don't know how this happened or why but Paige is not a good person."

He sighed, taking her hand from his ear, he slowly started to stand up. "Come on Kagome, I told ya' she came outta no where. Why so worried?"

"Inuyasha!" she spat through clenched teeth. He flinched at her, but leaned towards her to she could talk low again. "She is planning some thing, her and some one else." She looked around, seeing if there were any shadows. "I found a note to this new guy at my school from her planning to seperate us so that you will lose your Time of Jikar."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, "But why would they do that? We don't even know them.."

She nodded. "I don't know why but until we figure out what to do and what they're doing, we need to pretend to be the same." She moved away from him, taking a step back as she sighed. "We need to make it look like nothing has changed between us."

Inuyasha could see that this idea hurt her as much as it hurt him. Declaring your love for some one only to keep it a secret was completely earth shattering. He knew, though, that he didn't want to lose Kagome over two strangers plotting against them. "Fine. But let's talk about this more in the morning, with Sango and Miroku." he suggested. "They could help us and they should know."

She agreed with him. As much as it was hard to keep this a secret from Inuyasha, it would have been hard to keep it from Sango and Miroku. Kagome started toward the trees, looking through the bushes and motioning for Inuyasha to follow her. "Come on." she loudly whispered, starting to tredge through the dense forest. Inuyasha took one look around before catching up to her.

Past the trees and bushes, a figure rose from within the well.


	13. Give Me Something To Believe In

**Chapter 13**

_You're not my life but you're the person I wanna spend it with,_

_You're not my world but you're the best thing in it_

You know that feeling you get when you know some thing, and your're afraid of some one finding out? That the mere knowledge of that person knowing you know what you shouldn't know, would be enough to make worlds come crashing down. A slight slip of a tongue or wrong choice of word could give the secret away. And they couldn't risk that.

Kagome and Inuyasha were on edge. Neither of them had slept much the night before and every time some one moved or made a noise, they were on immediate self-defense-mode.

Every one was asleep, while Kagome and Inuyasha sat on opposite sides, looking at each other. The feeling of being so close to the one you wanted and not being able to touch them was hard to bare. But they waited.

Sango started to stir, and without any other warning, Inuyasha ran over to her side, covered her mouth with his hand, through her over his shoulder and motioned to Kagome to follow him. Kagome quickly stood up and followed behind them, closing over the blind when they left.

Sango mumbled as her voice faught against Inuyasha's hand. "Feh." Inuyasha sighed, "Will you knock it off? I'll put you down in a minute."

She looked over to Kagome while laying over Inuyasha's shoulder, Kagome shrugged her shoulders and Sango rolled her eyes, wondering what this was all about.

Inuyasha stopped and let Sango down when they made it to the edge of the forest, being half covered by the trees. Sango yawned and crossed her arms. "What's going on?" she knew them too well to ask stupid filler questions; instead of asking why they took her it was easier and quicker just to know what was wrong.

Kagome grinned, looked over her shoulder, and then returned her attention back to Sango. "Paige is up to some thing," she was stopped mid breath by Sango.

"Kagome, she isn't after Inuyasha, they are just be-"

Inuyasha grabbed Sango's shoulder, as if to stop her from telling Kagome about the arranged marriage side of things. It wasn't the time for it, yet. "No. She is Sango," Inuyasha paused as he looked over to Kagome.

Kagome nodded. "A new student at my school had a note from her saying for him to deal with me," as Inuyasha pretended to hand himself with his long hair, Kagome pushed him out of the way and continued. "And that she would handle things with Inuyasha and make sure he loses his Time of Jikar."

She was too tired for this. Sango rubbed her eyes and rested his hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. "But why would they do this?" she asked for retorically. "Neither of you have done anything to them, have you?"

They both shook their heads.

"Then why would they want to kill you guys?" She thought, and then an idea came to her. "Maybe they are working for Naraku."

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know why they are doing this but all I know is that we have to be careful. This is why I came back." Inuyasha shot her a look out of the corner of his eyes from that comment, but rolled it off.

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head, and then checked his nails. "Well, instead of all this wondering, I could just kill the bitch and we wouldn't have to worry about anything."

Kagome punched him in the arm. "No! We need to figure out what is going on first." He lightly rubbed his arm, making faces at her. She laughed at him and he nudged her playfully.

"Something going on, you two?"

And they suddenly froze; like two kids getting caught doing something they werent suppose to do. Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged a quick look, and the vibe between them decided that they wouldn't tell Sango about their little meeting last night. "No." Kagome said quickly, trying to sound realistic. She cleared her throat. "If you see her doing anything strange, you know what to do?"

Sango came them a slight nod, yawned, and turned around with out another word from either of them as she headed back up to the hut to return to her dreams.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, she could feel the tension starting to build between them after only a few short hours, the secret was going to be hard to keep being near each other all the time. Inuyasha broke the silence between them. "I think I'm going to get more fire wood, it was a bit cold last night."

She crossed her arms and thought it was a good idea. She didn't offer to come with him because she didn't want it looking suspicious. He brushed her arm with his hand and ran it down to her fingers, tracing them until he reached the end of them and turned to leave. And then they heard his name being called.

"Inuyasha, wait up!"

Paige came running down from the hut, smiling and looking as if she just had the best sleep of her life. "Kagome." She managed to grind threw her teeth and exchanged dangerous looks with her as she made her way beside Inuyasha. "Going some where?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. She smiled at Inuyasha and walked away; each step made her wonder what would happen if she left him alone with her. Inuyasha watched as she walked away, not looking back as she went. He knew it was killing her to not lead on about them, and it was killing him too. But he had to make it look like nothing had changed and make sure Paige believed that she had complete control over him. If she didn't, they could be in trouble, at least until they figured out what was going on.

"I'm going to get more fire food," he said, pointing behind his shoulder. "Do you want to help?"

Her lips pulled back in to a small grin, as she looked him up and down. She bit her lip as she walked past him, running her hand over his shoulders and down to his waist. "You want some _help_, do you?"

Inuyasha looked down at her hands resting on his waist, he didn't feel comfortable pretending to do this but he also didn't like the fact that she was a threat to him and mostly Kagome. So he played along. His hand weaved his way in to her hair, cupping the back on her neck, the other came up to her face, as he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. "Kagome can't give me what you can." he whispered to her.

She leaned in, planting two small kisses on his jawline before resting her head on to his shoulder. "I knew you'd warm up to me," she pulled back as she looked in to his eyes. "You just needed time," she eyed the hut as Kagome looked back to see them before she went inside. "And closure."

And then he felt it again. Her eyes dug in to his soul, his limbs felt numb and it was as if he had no recollection of anything else in the world, that every part of him started and ended with her. It was such a strong pull, and as he looked in to her eyes he could see them hypnoticing him, as if she was trying to control him. "Let's go."

Before they disappeared in to the trees, Myouga and Shippo came running out of the hut screaming at them to wait.

"Master Inuyasha! We have more news for you!" Myouga yelled from his spot on Shippo's shoulder as she came up to them.

Inuyasha moved away from paige and kneeled down to eye level with Shippo. He reached his hand out, picked up Myouga between two of his nails and brought him closer to his face. "What do you got for me?"

"It seems that since you are a half-demon, the obstacles will come more quickly; instead of waiting a long period of time for the next demon, you may only wait merely days or even hours." Myouga wiggled until Inuyasha let him go and he fell in to Inuyasha's hand, crossing his legs and arms as he sat down. "You should be always on alert."

"What are you doing here?"

Inuyasha heard Kagome screaming. He looked at the hut, where Kagome stood with her arrow drawn back ready to fire, Sango with her weapon ready to swing and Miroku with him with his hands gripped tightly at his sacred beads that wrapped around his wrist. Inuyasha followed their gaze over to the lake where a tall figure stood, with hair like Inuyasha's only shorter and black, tanned skin and battle armor.

He was smiling at Kagome.

Inuyasha gripped the handle of tetsaiga as he slowly rose to his feet. "Kagome, do we have a problem?" He yelled over to her.

She heard him but didn't move, she kept her aim on him. "It's the guy I told you about, Inuyasha." she narrowed her eyes at him, almost spitting the words at him. "How _dare_ you come here."

Paige pushed past Inuyasha, as she started to talk towards the figure. "Feng! You're ruining everything." she made her way to him, stopping only a few feet away. "I almost had him in my grasp, and you shouldn't have let her," she pointed her finger at Kagome. "come back here. Remember the plan?"

Inuyasha pulled tetsaiga out and swung it around to land on his shoulder, digging his free hand in to his pocket he began to walk over to the rest of them. "Let me guess," he called out to the two of them. "You guys are having a moment and need some time to talk, trust issues, relationship concerns, I get it. It's tough." he stopped, and looked at Kagome right quick, giving her a reassuring nod. "But you can talk about this together after I tear you both to pieces."

And as the last word escaped his breath, Inuyasha was running full force towards them, with tetsaiga ready to strike. Paige jumped out of the way and Feng pulled out his own sword, clashing blades with Inuyasha in time. The metal between them shrieked and grinded together as Feng pushed off Inuyasha and stepped back. Inuyasha lunged at him again.

Kagome took the oppertunity to aim at Paige, narrowing in on her, pulling the bow back and letting it fly through the air with amazing speed. It hit Paige in the arm, the head of the arrow digging in to her skin. She gringed in pain, before taking the arrow in hand and pulling it out and throwing it on to the ground. "That was a stupid idea."

And before they could blink, Paige was behind Kagome, had her hands locked so she couldn't get free and a knife across her throat.

Inuyasha was winning against Feng, until he seen Kagome out of the corner of his eye. "Kagome!" Getting distracted, Feng took the chance and stabbed him in the stomach. Inuyasha gave out a small moan of pain and came back swinging harder and faster than before.

"You let Feng beat you, or she's as good as dead." Paige tightened the blade at Kagome's neck.

Inuyasha took that as a challenge. He jumped above Feng, coming down with his sword straight down. Feng moved out of the way but wasn't quick enough; Inuyasha came up behind him and punched him in the stomach. He stumbles and tried to regain control but Inuyasha hits him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Inuyasha puts one foot on Feng's stomach and another on the ground as tetsaiga is above his head, waiting to come down.

Paige laughed at him, narrowing her eyes. "You don't have the guts to do it."

"You wanna beat?" He raised his eyebrow, looking down at Feng as he pressed the tip of the blade to his cheek, looking back at Paige. "Whose going to draw first?"

Miroku seen the oppertunity as Paige was caught off guard, sneaking up behind her and he hits her behind the head with his staff, knocking her out. The blade around Kagome's throat dropped to the ground and she gasped for air. Inuyasha kept tetsaiga poking Feng's head as he kneeled down to him, he was breathing heavily and looked as if he was ready to die. He waited to Inuyasha to finish him off, but he didn't. "Your tecnique could be better." He joked with him, but Feng didn't see the sarcasim. "We need to talk."


	14. Plan A Multiply and Conquer

**Chapter 14**

The tension in the room was undeniable.

Paige and Feng sat on the opposite side of the room facing every one else like they were on trial. Shippo stared at them through a squinted eye. Sango was petting Kilala while she sat in her lap and Miroku had his arms crossed, laying at the wall holding on to his staff. Inuyasha had his feet and arms crossed with Kagome beside him looking at them.

The sun was finally high in the sky. The rays flew in, eluminating the small room.

"Can we question them now? I don't know how long I can stay like this." Shippo whined as he tried to open his eye, but it was stuck in it's squint position. He tried to pry his eye open.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at him then immediately brought his attention back to the two strangers. They both looked calm and relaxed and seemed as if they did nothing wrong or were in no trouble. It iritated Inuyasha. "Are you going to tell us what this is all about or what?" he directed the question more towards Paige then Feng.

She smiled, slightly nodding her head forward and as she brought it back up, her smiled faded to an almost frown. "We didn't do this to hurt you," she managed to choke out. "It was either this or death. Would you accept death as an option?"

Kagome let out a small sigh, giving her a compassionate smile. "No. But we never did anything to you."

Feng chuckled under his breathe, leaning back on to his elbow and closing his eyes. "Trust me. it's nothing personal," he told her, opening his eyes to catch her gaze. "It's just business."

And as he said those words, the dirty feeling Kagome had only the day before came rushing back. The feeling of him touching her and breathing in her air. The sickly feeling of knowing the both of them knew what happened between Kagome and Feng, but Inuyasha didn't. She didn't want him to find out, to know that she went to such lengths to keep him safe and out of harms way. He'd be devestated.

Kagome fely uncomfortable and Inuyasha could tell. He reached out a hand to her shoulder, rubbing his fingers around in the same spot. She looked over her shoulder at him and pulled out a fake smile, turning back to Feng.

"We did what we had to do."

"And what is that, exactly?" Sango broke in to the conversation.

Feng and Paige exchanged looks, as if wondering who would have the honours to tell the story. Feng shrugged and Paige rolled her eyes. She pushed him out of the way and slide closer to the rest of them, clearing her throat. "About a year ago, Feng received the scare for his Time Of Jikar," she looked over at Inuyasha, who grew more interested when he heard this.

"He defeated all of the demons with no trouble. I helped him along the way," she took hold of his hand and gave him a smile. "But, we weren't expecting the final one. Or the mission, you could say." She fell silent, and it seemed like she wasn't going to continue any further with it.

Kagome looked at everyone, and they all looked as if they were wondering the same thing as she did. They knew Inuyasha would have to go through a mission, too, to compelte his Time Of Jikar, and it would be good to see what kind of mission he may get. She pressed on. "What was the mission?"

Paige's eyes lost all emotion, she skin turned white and she looked like she just seen a ghost. She looked at Feng, almost edging him on to tell them. Feng sighed, pulling himself up from his laying down position to be only a few feet away from Inuyasha and Kagome, as he looked them both in the eye. "My last demon was Naraku," as soon as his name escaped his mouth, he seen cold chills run through both Inuyasha and Kagome. They waited for him to continue. "My mission is to kill Inuyasha."

And the room fell silent.

"Are you joking?" Kagome choked out, almost not believing them.

Paige shook her head. "We had to seperate you two," she motioned at Inuyasha and Kagome, as they eyed each other out of the corner of their vision. "And the only way to do that was for me to come here and pretend to be Inuyasha's wife and Feng go to your world and seduce you."

Inuyasha's eye twitched when he heard _seduce_ and _Kagome_ in the same sentence.

Kagome finally grasped that this may be it for them. An end to searching for the jewel shards and fighting demons along side Inuyasha. She felt Inuyasha's hand slide over her own as he squeezed it, bringing it up to his mouth and kissing each finger. She snapped back at Paige. "What if we kill Naraku together? That way he is defeated and you don't have to kill Inuyasha."

Feng wsa interested. He narrowed his eyebrow, trying to think of a plan. "Inuyasha could go through the rest of his demons, and then when he gets to Naraku-"

"We come in," Paige interrupted in. "And attack him from behind, that way he won't notice and Feng will complete his Time of Jikar and so will Inuyasha."

Miroku didn't say a word, he just listened to them but finally decided to enter. "What if Naraku figures it out?"

Kagome didn't want to think about that, she didn't want to even imagine the idea of Inuyasha losing a battle for his life and not coming back with her. That would be the end for her, she'd have nothing else to live for if he was gone. Inuyasha pulled her in to his side with his left arm, hugging her and she knew everything would be fine. "He won't find out, we'll make sure of it." Kagome looked over at Miroku.

They exchanged smiles and reassuring glances. No one said a word, but every one could feel the presence of hope between them. Kagome could feel it; she could feel the excitement and being so close to finally be through with Naraku. Soon, Inuyasha and her would be fine to come out with their relationship. Things were coming together.

"KAGOME!"

Or so she thought.

Hearing her name, Kagome jumped up from her spot on the floor beside Inuyasha and ran outside, throwing the door to the side and bursting through. Inuyasha almost instantly was behind her, as they searched the field outside to see where the voice came from.

They finally seen a cloud of dust, as it whipped around them, and in the distance they started to see a figure imerge through the blinding mask. Kagome squinted her eyes and finally seen the long, black hair dancing in the wind and the wolf tail swaying behind him back and forth. He walked through the dust, like some one walking away from an explosion in a movie, as he dashed a smile towards Kagome as he walked up to them.

"Kouga," she choked out as he pulled her in to a tight hug, picking her up off her feet and spinning her around. She wrapped her arms around him and held on, as he laughed of joy. "What are you doing here?"

He stopped in the middle of their seventh spin; his muscles started to tense up, while still holding her, he pulled her forward to look her in the eyes. "I heard about mutt-face going through some freaky dog ritual," he narrowed his eye and gazed over at Inuyasha from the corner of his vision, and then brought his full attention back to Kagome. "I had to make sure you were fine."

Inuyasha didn't like him being around Kagome, let alone holding on to her closely. His teeth grinched against his teeth as the corner of his cheek started to twitch. When he seen Kouga eyeing Kagome, then he had enough of it. He stepped infront of Kagome and pulled her behind him, staring in to Kouga's face. "Keep your hands off of her, you mangy wolf. If anyone here would cause her harm, it would be you!"

Kouga was taken back by him actually saying that to him. He did nothing to hurt Kagome, unlike him.

He was planning to come back at Inuyasha with a sarcastic comment or something rude, but he decided to take a minute, looking over Inuyasha's shoulder at Kagome, he wondered what their conversation had did to her thoughts of him. "Don't act like you actually care about her, we all know, including her, that you prefer dead women compared to the live ones."

Kouga started to laugh at his own comment, thinking he would make Kagome upset like he did before. Instead, her eyebrows and eyes narrowed and her face looked almost disgusted at the words he said.

Inuyasha was trying to hold a lot back. He didn't want to hurt Kouga because he knew how much he meant to Kagome. But this was it. Inuyasha bite his lip and turned his back at Kouga, trying to calm down, but it didn't work. He spun around, catching Kouga off guard as he grabbed his throat and lifted him up to the sky. He started to slowly squeeze his throat. "You're the one who put that in to Kagome's head, huh?"

Kouga started to choke, scratching at Inuyasha's hands to get free. "I.. ugh, she listened to me," he gasped as Inuyasha started to grasp his neck tighter. "I just said... m-my op-opinion," his face started to lose it's color, his scratching for air slowed and his eyes began to close over.

Inuyasha let him go, and he dropped to the door, gasping for air.

Turning around, he grabbed Kagome by her arm and pulled her closer to him. Kagome looked at Kouga, and seen him starting to struggle to stand. She left Inuyasha's grasp and fell to her knees, holding his arm and helping him until he stood on his feet by himself. Kagome pulled a hankerchief out of her pocket and brushed the sweat off of his forehead, his breathing eratic. He fell to his knees again.

"Are you alright?" Kagome asked him, as she finished cleaning his face.

Kouga looked up at her, his eyes searching to find something, but he could tell there was nothing there. The times he came to see her and make sure she was alright, she was so excited and happy to see him. Now, she looked emotionless and had a wall up. No doubt an Inuyasha wall, and he understood that. He reached out a hand towards her face, holding it, and rubbing it with his thumb. "If you're fine, I'm fine." he told her, smiling up at her. "I guess I was wrong?"

"Feh," Inuyasha snickered, crossing his arms and staring down at him with disgust in his eyes, talking down to him. "Yeah, you were." Inuyasha undid his arms and kneeled down beside him, grabbing his shoulder in a tight grip, turning Kouga to face him eye to eye. "You were never the right one. Don't worry about her anymore."

Kouga swallowed back his comments, and forced the words back in. He didn't want to start something over this, when he knew, from the start, that it was going to be Inuyasha for Kagome. All he could do was smile and nod at Inuyasha. "You're a lucky man, you know, mutt-face."

For the first time, Inuyasha laughed at him, a friendly laugh. He reached his hand out to Kouga, as he waited for him to take it. Kouga looked at the gesture and Inuyasha's hand in the air, and then looked up at him. He seemed genuinely kind at this moment. Kouga took his hand and Inuyasha pulled him back up on to his feet. And Inuyasha finally thought of something; they all had a common enemy, why not use that to their advantage? "Kouga," Inuyasha yelled out.

Kouga flinched, wondering what else he was going to do. He started to think Inuyasha was bipolar. He narrowed his eyes at him, leaned back and away from him. "What?" he barely got out.

"How fast can you _really_ run?"

"Uh.." Kouga was stunned. He didn't think Inuyasha would ask him something like that, but he was suspicious as to why he wanted to know. "Probably as fast as an average cheetah. Why?"

"Perfect. We can use that to our advantage." Inuyasha smiled. He looked at Kouga, and he seemed as if he didn't see where he was going with this. Inuyasha shook his head and turned around with him, bringing him and Kagome back in to the hut to talk to the rest of them.


	15. You Promised

**Chapter 15**

Kouga had agreed to help them. They weren't the only ones who wanted to see Naraku defeated.

After getting on the same page, everyone began to pack up their things and prepared to leave the village to set off on looking for Naraku. Shippo jumped on to Kilala's back with Sango right behind him, Myouga resting on Shippo's shoulder. Miroku walked along side of them, his hand gripped on his staff ready at a moments notice. Feng and Paige decided to travel behind them in case anyone came up behind them and Kagome walked awkwardly between both Inuyasha and Kouga in front of the group; each of them watching her out of the corner of their eyes.

Kagome was in mid-sigh when the top of her foot caught a rock and she stumbled over it. Kouga dived underneath her, grabbing her waist as she slowly fell on to his stomach with a light thud. Kagome's face hit off of his chest. She pulled herself up to look at him, and he smirked at her.

Inuyasha stared down at Kouga with a dirty look.

Kagome pushed off and got back on to her feet, reaching out a hand for Kouga. Taking it, he pulled himself up and then brushed the dirt off of him and then helped Kagome. He flashed a smile at Inuyasha in doing so.

Inuyasha's knuckles cracked from the pressure under his fist. He tried to hold himself together; he ignored them and started to walk ahead of them alone. He knew they couldn't be obvious or demon, or even Naraku, would use them being together to their advantage. But he couldn't help still feeling jealous whenever Kouga tried to get close with Kagome.

And this jealousy he occasionally had towards Kouga being near Kagome was a result of a strong feeling toward her. He could only imagine what he would do if something were to happen to her because of him; if Naraku her, if it was completely his fault, he wouldn't know what to do with himself. She meant so much to him.

Kouga looked down at Kagome's face as she watched Inuyasha rip down a tree that wasn't even in his way; she could tell he was upset. Kouga laid a hand on her shoulder, making her turn to him. "Go talk to him."

Kouga let go of her and walked over beside Miroku, deciding to stay back with them.

Feng leaned over to Paige. "Are they always like this?" he whispered.

Miroku spun around, half-laughing. "Wait until you see Inuyasha's punishment when he annoys Kagome," he started to recall how many arguments were settled from it and he sighed. "It's an amazing sight." The two exchanged worried looks.

Kagome nodded to Kouga and ran down the dirt path after him. "Inuyasha." she hollared behind him, trying to make him turn around. He came to a sudden stop a few feet in front of her and his ear twitched to the side as if he heard something. She slowed her pace and came up to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him in to her.

"It's just Kouga," she promised him, squeezing him so that her cheek was pressed against the side of his arm. "You don't have anything to worry about."

Inuyasha looked at the ground, not even turning around to look at her. His attention was on everything but her, as she walking in front of him, still not letting go of him. Kagome tried to look in to his eyes, but he ran away from her gaze. She dropped her arms, bringing her hands up to his face and placing one hand on each of his cheeks, pulling his head up and forcing him to look her in the eyes. "Don't" he managed to say through clentched teeth.

Kagome rubbed his cheek with her thumb, gliding it across his lips and under his chin, as he sighed. She narrowed her eyes, her expression starting to get harder. "What's wrong?"

Inuyasha looked behind him, and seen that everyone had their eyes on them, waiting for them to continute walking. Inuyasha turned back to her, grabbing her hands from his face. "Kagome," he started, searching for the right words. "What if one of us gets hurt?"

Kagome thought he was just being nervous about his Time Of Jikar. She pulled his hands up and kissed them, not leaving his eyes. "Everyone is going to fine, don't worry."

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's not that, Kagome." he said, dropping her hands from his and placing them on his waist, pacing a few steps back and forth before coming back to him. "What if you get hurt?; I'll be distracted and more vulnerable. I won't act smart." Inuyasha took a deep breath, and sighed. "And the same with you."

Kagome knew there were consequences. Risks. But she also knew that if they sat there and did nothing, that they were as good as dead, anyways. They had to fight to the end, no holding back, no excused; if they wanted to stay alive, they couldn't think they would fail. She didn't want to think of them getting through everything they've been through and then finally being defeated by this.

Kagome tried to hide the worry she had, she tried to be positive and look at it as them only defeating Naraku; nothing else. "We'll be fine," she told them, but he looked at her as if he didn't believe it. She reached up on her tippy-toes and kissed his cheek. "I promise."

For a second, a smile came across Inuyasha's lips, he thought that they may be fine, that nothing abd would come of this. Then he heard footsteps.

He spun around and seen Feng walking towards them, with his hands crossed and looking up at the sky. "Beautiful sunset, don't you think, Inuyasha?"

Looking up, Inuyasha seen the last bit of the sun creeping behind the horizon, as night came on. He grabbed two hand fulls of his hair, stretched them out and watched as they slowly changed from silver to black. It travelled up his head until every strand of hair was pitch black. Inuyasha bite back anger, as he looked over at Kagome. She just sighed and shook her head at him, before walking in to the woods to find a camp site for the night.

* * *

Within an hour, tents were set up, a fire was crackling away and everyone was sitting around a warm campfire under the stars. Sango was helping Shippo roast a few marshmellows, Feng and Paige were watching them and trying to imitate what they were doing, Miroku and Myouga were over by themselves discussing something, Kouga wasn't anywhere near them and Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting off to the side, with Inuyasha leaning against a tree and Kagome was laying on her sleeping bag.

Kagome had her eyes set on Inuyasha. His breathing would speed up and then slow down, probably due to his changing thoughts.

Kouga came barreling out of the trees by the water's edge and ran over to them, sitting down infront of Kagome on her sleeping bag and getting comfortable. "So I signaled for my wolves," he told them, caughing. "They'll be here by morning."

Kagome smiled at him, and looked over to Inuyasha, who didn't show any sign of gratitude. Kagome rolled her eyes and turned back to Kouga. "Thank you."

He reached out and grabbed Kagome's hand, bringing it up to his lips and lightly kissing it. Inuyasha's ear twitched when he heard his lips smacking off of Kagome's skin. Giving her hand back to her, Kouga began to rise from the ground. "Anything for you, Kagome."

As Kouga started to leave, Miroku came over with Myouga in his hand. Myouga jumped from Miroku's hand over to Inuyasha's kimono, climbing up to his face. Holding on to his nose, Myouga looked at him with his beety eye. "Master Inuyasha, Miroku and I have been thinking that Feng and Kouga may count at your 'demons'."

"Since you got them to reason wit you and come on to your side to help you with this, that may count as 'defeating' or 'conquering' a demon." Miroku told him, taking a seat when Kouga had sat a few moments before.

Kagome picked herself up from her laying down position and flipped up to sit up. "What does that mean?" her eyes took turns going from Miroku to Myouga.

Myouga was the one to break the wonder. "It means that instead of only being on his second demon, Inuyasha could possibly be on his fourth!"

Miroku nodded with him, but waved infront of them to get their attention. "We also think that, maybe, your scar would be used against you."

Inuyasha pulled the arm of his sleve up to see his scar clearly. There was just enough moonlight to see a light outline out it, but the majority of it was almost healed. "Use _this_ against me? A cut."

Myouga jumped in to his hand. "This isn't jsut a cut, Master Inuyasha." Myouga told him, walked over the lines and crossing his arms. "This scar is the scar that the first man, ever, to go through this had received and it has been put on to the skin of the demons after." He stopped walking and turned around to face him. "Naraku could use this scar to cause you pain and not beable to use tetsaiga."

Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's arm and had a strong grip on his kimono. Inuyasha looked down in her direction and then brought him attention back to them. "I'll use my other hand then. Let me worry about it." Inuyasha rolled his arm back down, and eased backward against the tree again.

Miroku shrugged, setting his hand beside Inuyasha's, letting Myouga jump back in to his hand and they joined the rest of them by the fire. Kouga had dropped a flaming marshmellow on his loan cloth and rain in to the river to stop it. Shippo was rolling around on the floor laughing, and yawning at the same time. Every one was starting to get tired, and it was late. They had a big day ahead of them.

Inuyasha stood up, grabbing his tetsaiga, and reaching his other hand out to Kagome. "Come with me." he said, making her turn around at face his hand. She looked up at him and he smiled back at her. She took a breathe in and grabbed his hand, pulling herself up off the ground. She fixed herself as he pulled his arm around her as they walked down to the water.

Inuyasha dropped on to the grass, laying down on his back and looking up at the stars. Kagome walked around him and then he grabbed her thighs and pulled her down with him. She rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him.

They could hear the cracking of the fire, the cherping of the crickets, and seeing the outside of the moon, barely visible over head.

Kagome laid there, taking in all of her surroundings, and she wondered if she even believed what she told Inuyasha before. That everything was going to fine. But what if they weren't; what if this was what breaks them, and that nothing would be the same after this. She couldn't bare the thought of this tearing them up or ending them. She didn't want to think of the _what ifs_ or the _could bes_, she only want to think about right now, with Inuyasha.

She pressed her head further on to his chest, feeling his heart pound against her ear.

Inuyasha could sense that she was uneasy about this, that she didn't like the fact of not knowing would happen from his and he didn't want to admit it to her, or himself, but he was scared about this, too. He didn't want to show that he was worried that she might get hurt because of him, that he might lose her or she might lose him from this. He couldn't have that.

Inuyasha laid his arms around her waist, squeezing her closer to him. Kagome looked up at him, and she could see the nervousness in his eyes, and the yearning to keep her safe. In return, Inuyasha could see worry but confident written all over Kagome's face. Inuyasha leaned down to kiss her, and she stretched up to meet him half way. They were about to kiss when they heard a loud shriek.

Kagome jumped off of Inuyasha and was instantly running back to the camp site, Inuyasha was right behind her, looking around to see if see could see anything. When they got back to the campsite, all of their stuff was on the ground, scattered around. Shippo was holding on to Sango for dear life, Miroku had his staff infront of him, waiting for another attack.

"What happened?" Inuyasha bursted out when he got to Miroku.

"We don't know," Miroku managed to spit out, his eyes twitching all around the trees, watching for another attack.

All they could hear was the rustling of the trees. Inuyasha gripped tetsaiga; he wouldn't be able to use it to it's full advantage but it was better than nothing. He finally noticed that Feng, Paige and Kouga were no where in sight.

Kagome left Inuyasha's side and ran over to her backpack to get her bow. She through her arrows over her shoulder and had to bow on her hand as she began to slowly get up. She then heard Inuyasha scream out her name in horror. "KAGOME!"

Her head spun around, seeing a dark figure fly out of the bushes, with the rest of them chasing behind. Kouga was right on the demon's heels, and when he thought he seen an opportunity, he lunched at the demon. The demon jumped up in to the trees and Kouga slide across the ground, stopping only a few feet from Kagome. Their eyes were darting among the trees, trying to see any movement. A loud yell could be heard from the demon as it jumped down from the trees and ran full speed at Kagome, she tried to fire her arrow, but the demon was too fast. As it ran past her, she grabbed her side, and slowly sunked to the ground screaming.

Kouga ran over to her side. She didn't fight against him, as he pulled her hand away to see what had happened to her. Inuyasha began to walk over to them but was halted by Kouga raising a bloody hand to him.

Inuyasha's blood began to boil within him, his vision started to become blurry from anger, and he was shaking.

Sango ran past Inuyasha and went to Kagome's side, letting Kouga get up and go beside Inuyasha. Inuyasha was waiting for the demon to come back again and out of the corner of his eye he seen something moving. The trees shook and you could hear a sinister laugh.

"Show yourself!" Inuyasha yelled, trying to control his anger.

Kouga looked over at Kagome on the ground, and then thoguht of an idea. He rushed over, took an arrow and grabbed the bow from her hands, walking back over to Inuyasha, he set his arrow, and readied it. He pulled back the wire and aimed it straight up in the air. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and chuckled under his breathe, knowing that wouldn't help them. Kouga let the arrow go and it fly up in to the trees.

It was silent, then the demon's body came tumbling down, hitting numerous branches at it did. It slammed on to the ground in front of Inuyasha and Kouga. Kouga handed the bow over to Inuyasha and nodded to him.

Inuyasha through the bow on the ground and ran over to Kagome. Sango backed away from her after finishing her bandages. She was going in and out of consciousness. Her eyes were open but barely, and she already looked a sickly green. Inuyasha whiped her hair from her face, rubbing her cheek as he did. "You promised" he whispered, as her eyes shut closed.

Everything was already packed for them to return to the village.


	16. Plan B Hope and Pray

**Chapter 16**

The sun was coming in to view when they made it back to the village.

Inuyasha held Kagome in his hands and walked her in to the hut, while every one else stayed outside and waited for them. Kaede was just waking up when she seen a flash of green come across her vision and then realized it was Inuyasha. "Inuyasha," she said, sounding startled. "What are ye doing here? Ye should be on ye way to destory Naraku." She got up and walked over to him, seeing Kagome in his hands.

He looked down at Kagome. She eyes were closed over and her head was tucked inward, resting partly on his chest. "We were attacked late last night," he stated, bringing Kagome over to the floor mat, slowly easing her on to her back. "The demon was too fast, she couldn't-" he stopped himself, finally seeing the blood stain on her clothes. It made it's way from right under her ribs down past her waist. Inuyasha stood up and moved away.

Kaede kneeled beside her, ripping her shirt to get a better look at the wound. She grabbed some herbs and cloth to bandage it, as she wrapped the cloth around her waist and tightened it, she screamed out in pain. grabbing her side. "Don't touch me!" she yelled, biting her lip in pain as tears collected at the corners of her eyes.

Kaede let go of her, letting her calm down for a moment.

"I want Inuyasha." she mumbled out, whipping the tears from her eyes.

Kaede stood up and started to walk to the door. "Ye should talk in private." she said, before leaving the hut.

As soon as she left, Inuyasha was right by her side. Kagome lifted a hand up to him, and he instantly grabbed it, bringing it up to his lips and softly kissing it. She looked up at him, and the life within her seemed to have died. She had lost so much blood, her skinned looked pale and was cold to the touch. She could automatically see the worry in Inuyasha.

"You n-need to go," she stuttered out the words, as she started to shiver. "Naraku will be waiting for y-you. D-on't worry ab-b-bout me."

He shook his head. He didn't want to leave her all alone, he didn't want to face the last demon and the most powerful battle without her. He didn't want something to happen to one of them and the other not be there. His heart would break.

She swallowed hardly, closing her eyes as she tried to control the shaking. When it slowed, she opened her eyes again, looking at him. "You'll be fine. I-I promise." she told him, smiling.

"That's what you said last time."

He let go of her hand, as it dropped to the ground. She was startled as she looked up at him, narrowing her eyes at him. She knew he would do this; make a big deal about leaving her behind and try to come up with an excuse to not go, but he had to.

She knew that deep down all he needed to defeat Naraku, or any demon he encountered, was himself. She didn't have to be there with him to him to succeed, and she trusted that he was good enough to do it without her. She knew he'd be worried about her, but this was his last chance. It was this or death.

"You're b-etter than yo-your father." she whispered out to him, as she saw him turn towards her. "You can do this.. without me."

He bite his lip, trying to think of a reason to not go. He was petrified to leave her by herself; the thought of someone coming to hurt her more, or him being distracted by her being here and losing the battle. He needed her by his side so that he knew she was safe and he was protected with her being there; with her being there, he not only had to make sure his life was saved, but also hers. Without her, he wouldn't think rationally.

But he didn't want to argue with her in this condition. Inuyasha walked over to her, kneeling down on one knee as he brushed his lips on to her forehead. "I love you," he said as he lightly wrapped his arms around her shoulders and gave her a little embrace. "Stay strong and wait for me." he whispered in to her ear.

She gave him a slight smile before her eyes closed over and she fell asleep. When Kaede heard the talking stop, she re-entered the room, pushing Inuyasha away so that she could clean and tend to Kagome's wounds. Inuyasha couldn't leave her there like this.

He went over to Kaede's herbs and remedies, dumping some kinda of plant out of a vase and placing it on the table. He pulled his sleeve away from his wrist, pulling it to his elbow and bringing it up to his lips and without a second thought, he dugged his fangs in to his own flesh. Pulling away, he leaned over the vase as his blood and salivia mixed together and ran down in to the vase.

He pulled his shirt down, whipping the small gash. He put the lid on the vase and shaked it around for a minute. Taking the cover off, he turned around and walked over to Kaede and handed it to her. "Give her this; her wounds should recover within a few hours."

Kaede nobbed to him, kneeling down to Kagome's mouth as she tried to get her to drink. Inuyasha wanted to stay and make sure she got enough, but heard someone running towards the hut. He looked over his shoulder and seen Kouga peeking threw the curtain. "Um," he mumbled, looking around the room and then at Inuyasha. "I don't wanna bother you right now, but you might want to come outside."

Kouga reached out the door as Inuyasha walked through to the outside.

He looked over at every one getting ready for the battle; Miroku was practicing defenses with his staff, Sango was polishing her boomerang, Shippo was impersonating each of them, Feng and Paige were dodging and blocking each others attacks and Kouga's wolf pack sat under te shade of a big tree, looking over at him.

"They came a little while ago," Kouga told Inuyasha, as he started to walk towards the wolves.

Kouga stopped as he looked over his shoulder and seen that Inuyasha was frozen in place and he understood what he was oging threw. Kouga sighed, as he turned on his heels and walked back over to Inuyasha. "You know what, mutt-face, me and you are exactly alike."

Inuyasha snorted. "Feh, yeah right, you mangy wolf, how the hell are we alike?"

Kouga crossed his arms. "Oh, I don't know," he said as he shrugged his shoulders and began to walk around him. "We are both stubborn, we both want to see Naraku defeated, we both want the sacred jewel," he paused, stopping in front of Inuyasha as he raised his eyebrows.

"And, we both want an amazing woman." he stated.

Inuyasha's gaze snapped up at him as he narrowed his eyes as Kouga threw his arms up in defense, leaning back. "She's all yours; it is crystal clear who she wants to be with." Kouga told him, placing his arms on his hips. "I think it's been obvious for a while."

Inuyasha cracked a little smirk, as he reached out a hand to Kouga. "You know, if you didn't love her and you weren't a cocky wolf, I probably wouldn't hate you." he told him as they locked hands as they shock.

Kouga shrugged. "And if she spent more time with me and didn't love you, I may not hate you as much."

Feng left Paige as he walked over to the two new friends. He crossed his arms and nodded towards the North. "The wolves said that they tracked _his_ scent from just beyond those mountains."

"Do they know if it is just him?" Inuyasha asked, as they walked over to the rest of them.

Feng shock his head. "All they know is that his barrier is getting stronger and we need to move out soon." He left Inuyasha and walked over to the tree, picking up his swords and placing them in to their holders.

"Is Kagome alright?" Sango asked from behind Feng.

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders. "She will be, but for now we need to carry on with out. Every one get ready to head out." he shouted.

Sango thossed her boomerang over her shoulder and hopped on to Kilala's back, with Shippo sitting in front of her and Miroku wrapping his shaft around her stomach and holding on to her. Feng and Paige were ready to go and the wolves started to stand up, stratching out the kinks in their legs. Kouga tightened his headband and looked over at Inuyasha. "Lead the way, mutt-face."

Inuyasha smirked a little and pointed to the mountain. Feng followed his trail of vision and started to go on ahead, as every one got up and went behind him. Inuyasha looked back at the hut, and his entire world shock as the thought of him leaving Kagome. He felt numb, as if there was no life with in him anymore. As much as he didn't want to, he knew he had to go on and defeat Naraku for Kagome. For himself.

He walked behind the rest of them as he prayed that Kagome would some how be there with him.

* * *

**A/N:** So, this chapter is a little smaller because it's kind of a filler one. The next chapter is planned to be longer and the last chapter so this is just a little part before the finale! Hope you all like it so far and pleeease read and review :)


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